The influence of field size upon the spatial frequency response of optokinetic nystagmus

Abstract The range of target velocities that stimulate optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) was examined as a function of spatial frequency of drifting gratings and field size. OKN responded optimally to coarse gratings with upper spatial frequency limits of 16, 8 and 4 c/deg for 2°, 10° and 45° test fields respectively. These upper spatial frequency limits for optimal responses were related to spatial resolution of moving gratings at the edges of the test field. At low spatial frequencies OKN had an upper slow phase velocity limit that increased with field size. The upper velocity limit was influenced more by proximity of test field edges to the fovea than by test field area. The upper velocity limit was reduced at higher spatial frequencies by a constant temporal frequency limit of 24 Hz. This fixed temporal frequency limit was independent of field size and was related to the CFF for detecting moving gratings. Reduction of stimulus area increased apparent speed of low stimulus velocities and enhanced fast phase frequency of OKN. Pursuit OKN replaced involuntary OKN at stimulus velocities below a lower velocity limit. An empirically derived schematic was developed to describe the spatio-temporal stimulus space for OKN as limited by sensory and motor factors.

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