Threshold detection of intensity flashes in the blowfly photoreceptor by an ideal observer

Detection of intensity flashes in the blowfly photoreceptor is limited by photon noise in the input signal as well as noise contributed by transduction components within the photoreceptor. Our analysis uses an ideal observer and a model of blowfly phototransduction to compute the threshold for optimal detection of intensity flashes as background intensity varies. We find that detection threshold increases with background light intensity according to a power function, that the threshold for low light levels is limited mainly by the photon noise, and that the threshold at high light levels is limited mainly by the channel noise.

[1]  Mikko Juusola,et al.  Band-pass filtering by voltage-dependent membrane in an insect photoreceptor , 1993, Neuroscience Letters.

[2]  Barbara Blakeslee,et al.  The intracellular pupil mechanism and photoreceptor signal: noise ratios in the fly Lucilia cuprina , 1987, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B. Biological Sciences.

[3]  W. Geisler.  Ideal Observer Analysis , 2002 .

[4]  H. Vincent Poor,et al.  An Introduction to Signal Detection and Estimation , 1994, Springer Texts in Electrical Engineering.

[5]  M. Juusola.  Linear and non-linear contrast coding in light-adapted blowfly photoreceptors , 1993, Journal of Comparative Physiology A.

[6]  Raimond L. Winslow,et al.  Optimal Detection of Flash Intensity Differences Using Rod Photocurrent Observations , 1999, Neural Computation.

[7]  H. Vincent Poor,et al.  An introduction to signal detection and estimation (2nd ed.) , 1994 .

[8]  S S Stevens,et al.  To Honor Fechner and Repeal His Law: A power function, not a log function, describes the operating characteristic of a sensory system. , 1961, Science.

[9]  A. Andreou,et al.  A communication channel model for information transmission in the blowfly photoreceptor. , 2001, Bio Systems.

[10]  B W Knight,et al.  Adapting-bump model for eccentric cells of Limulus , 1980, The Journal of general physiology.

[11]  M Järvilehto,et al.  Contrast gain, signal-to-noise ratio, and linearity in light-adapted blowfly photoreceptors , 1994, The Journal of general physiology.

[12]  Christof Koch,et al.  Detecting and Estimating Signals in Noisy Cable Structures, II: Information Theoretical Analysis , 1999, Neural Computation.

[13]  S. Laughlin.  A Simple Coding Procedure Enhances a Neuron's Information Capacity , 1981, Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. Section C, Biosciences.

[14]  W A Richards,et al.  Lightness scale from image intensity distributions. , 1981, Applied optics.

[15]  Andreas G. Andreou,et al.  Relating information capacity to a biophysical model for blowfly photoreceptors , 2000, Neurocomputing.

[16]  L. Chalupa,et al.  The visual neurosciences , 2004 .

[17]  J. H. van Hateren,et al.  Electrical coupling of neuro-ommatidial photoreceptor cells in the blowfly , 1986, Journal of Comparative Physiology A.

[18]  S B Laughlin,et al.  Voltage‐activated potassium channels in blowfly photoreceptors and their role in light adaptation. , 1991, The Journal of physiology.