Temporal interactions in direction-selective complex cells of area 18 and the posteromedial lateral suprasylvian cortex (PMLS) of the cat

• Published in: Visual neuroscience 2006-03, Vol.23 (2), p.233-246
• Main Authors: VAJDA, ILDIKÓ, BORGHUIS, BART G., VAN DE GRIND, WIM A., LANKHEET, MARTIN J.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Brain Mapping; Cat extrastriate area; Cats; Data collection; Eye and associated structures. Visual pathways and centers. Vision; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Motion opponency; Motion Perception - physiology; Motion vision; Neurons - physiology; Orientation - physiology; Photic Stimulation - methods; Random pixel array; Second-order reverse correlation; Time Factors; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Visual Cortex - cytology; Visual Cortex - physiology; Visual Pathways - cytology; Visual Pathways - physiology
• ISSN: 0952-5238; 1469-8714
• DOI: 10.1017/S0952523806232085

Temporal interactions in direction-sensitive complex cells in area 18 and the posteromedial lateral suprasylvian cortex (PMLS) were studied using a reverse correlation method. Reverse correlograms to combinations of two temporally separated motion directions were examined and compared in the two areas. A comparison to the first-order reverse correlograms allowed us to identify nonlinear suppression or facilitation due to pairwise combinations of motion directions. Results for area 18 and PMLS were very different. Area 18 showed a single type of nonlinear behavior: similar directions facilitated and opposite directions suppressed spike probability. This effect was most pronounced for motion steps that followed each other immediately and decreased with increasing delay between steps. In PMLS, the picture was much more diverse. Some cells exhibited nonlinear interactions, that were opposite to those in area 18 (facilitation for opposite directions and suppression for similar ones), while the majority did not show a systematic interaction profile. We conclude that nonlinear second-order reverse correlation characteristics reveal different functional properties, despite similarities in the first-order reverse correlation profiles. Directional interactions in time revealed optimal integration of similar directions in area 18, but motion opponency—at least in some cells—in PMLS.