Temporal properties of the visual responses to luminance and contrast modulated noise.

Full Abstract

Vision is sensitive to first-order luminance modulations and second-order modulations of carrier contrast. Our knowledge of the temporal properties of second-order vision is insufficient and contradictory. Using temporal summation and reaction time paradigms, we found that the type of visual noise (static or dynamic) determines the temporal properties of the responses to luminance and contrast modulations. In the presence of static noise, the temporal responses to both types of modulation of low and higher spatial frequencies were transient. When dynamic noise was used, the temporal responses to luminance and contrast modulations of higher spatial frequencies were sustained. At low spatial frequency, however, luminance modulations elicited transient responses, while contrast modulated dynamic noise produced sustained responses. The reaction times to near-threshold contrast modulations of low spatial frequency were slower than those to first-order patterns and they did not significantly differ at modulations of higher spatial frequency. The results suggest that the temporal characteristics of first-stage linear filters which feed the second-order pathway may determine the temporal responses to contrast modulated noise.

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Author information

Author/s: Manahilov, Velitchko (V); Calvert, Julie (J); Simpson, William A (WA);

Affiliation: Department of Vision Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, City Campus, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, Scotland G4 0BA, UK. vma(-atsign-)gcal.ac.uk

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Vision research (Vision Res), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-Aug; vol 43 (issue 17) : pp 1855-67

Dates: Created 2003/06/26; Completed 2003/08/12; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 12826109, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Contrast Sensitivity - physiology
Fourier Analysis
Humans
Lighting

Motion Perception - physiology
Photic Stimulation
Reaction Time
Visual Perception - physiology

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