Flicker Contrast Sensitivity in Normal and Specifically Disabled Readers

Perception ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frances Martin ◽  
William Lovegrove
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Contrast Sensitivity ◽  
Temporal Frequency ◽  
Temporal Contrast ◽  
Control Subjects ◽  
Visual Systems ◽  
Spatial Frequencies ◽  
Disabled Readers ◽  
Transient System

Temporal contrast sensitivity for counterphase flicker was determined for specifically disabled and normal readers to investigate whether the two groups differ in the functioning of their transient systems. In experiment 1, temporal contrast sensitivity was measured over a range of temporal frequencies with a spatial frequency of 2 cycles deg−1. Disabled readers were less sensitive than the control subjects at all temporal frequencies. In experiment 2, temporal contrast sensitivity was measured at a temporal frequency of 20 Hz over a range of spatial frequencies. Disabled readers were less sensitive than the controls at all spatial frequencies, with the differences between the groups increasing as spatial frequency increased. Both these findings are interpreted as supporting the hypothesis of a transient-system deficit in the visual systems of disabled readers.

Uniform-Field Flicker Masking in Control and Specifically-Disabled Readers

Perception ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frances Martin ◽  
William J Lovegrove
Keyword(s):  
Test Stimulus ◽  
Contrast Sensitivity ◽  
Temporal Frequency ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Uniform Field ◽  
Complex Situation ◽  
Spatial Frequencies ◽  
Stationary Test ◽  
Disabled Readers ◽  
Transient System

Possible transient-system deficiencies in subjects with specific reading disabilities (SRDs) were investigated in groups of 13-year-old SRDs and control normal readers. In experiment 1, in which a 6 Hz uniform-field flicker (UFF) mask and a stationary test stimulus were used, it was found that the overall effect of UFF masking was to reduce differences in contrast sensitivity between SRDs and normal readers. In experiments 2a and 2b, with UFF masks of 6 and 20 Hz and a 6 Hz moving (experiment 2a) or flickering (experiment 2b) test stimulus, contrast sensitivity in both groups was decreased in the presence of the 6 Hz UFF mask. Only the control group, however, showed a further decrease in sensitivity with the 20 Hz UFF mask. This indicates that the groups differ in terms of a mechanism sensitive to high temporal frequencies. A 20 Hz counterphase flickering test stimulus was used in experiment 3 in the presence of 6 Hz UFF, and it was found that SRDs are less sensitive than controls to 20 Hz flicker across all spatial frequencies used. The 6 Hz mask, however, did not differentially affect the two groups. These findings provide further evidence for a transient-system deficit in the visual systems of SRDs, but also suggest a more complex situation by showing that the two groups differ in a high-temporal-frequency mechanism.

scholarly journals Contrast Sensitivity of Cats and Humans in Scotopic and Mesopic Conditions

2009 ◽  
Vol 102 (2) ◽  
pp. 831-840 ◽  
Author(s):  
Incheol Kang ◽  
Rachel E. Reem ◽  
Amy L. Kaczmarowski ◽  
Joseph G. Malpeli
Keyword(s):  
Contrast Sensitivity ◽  
Temporal Frequency ◽  
Companion Paper ◽  
Behavioral Data ◽  
Scotopic Vision ◽  
Visual Systems ◽  
Spatial Frequencies ◽  
Dim Light ◽  
The Right ◽  
Central Fixation

Human contrast sensitivity in low scotopic conditions is regulated according to the deVries–Rose law. Previous cat behavioral data, as well as cat and mice electrophysiological data, have not confirmed this relationship. To resolve this discrepancy at the behavioral level, we compared sensitivity in dim light for cats and humans in parallel experiments using the same visual stimuli and similar behavioral paradigms. Both species had to detect Gabor functions (SD = 1.5°, spatial frequencies from 0 to 4 cpd, temporal frequency 4 Hz) presented 8° to the right or left of a central fixation point over an 8 log-unit range of adaptation levels spanning scotopic vision and extending well into the mesopic range. Cats had 0.74 log unit greater absolute sensitivity than that of humans for spatial frequencies ≤1/8 cpd. Cats had better contrast sensitivity overall for spatial frequencies <1/2 cpd, whereas humans were more sensitive for spatial frequencies above this. However, most of the cat's sensitivity advantage for low spatial frequencies could be accounted for by the greater light-concentrating abilities of its optics. Contrast sensitivity to 4 cpd was poor or absent in the scotopic range for both species. For both, scotopic increment thresholds were proportional to the square root of retinal illuminance, in accordance with the deVries–Rose law. Overall, cat and human visual systems appear to operate under very similar constraints for rod vision, including the regulation of contrast sensitivity across adaptation levels. A companion paper compares sensitivity of neurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus to these behavioral data.

Behavioral determination of the spatial selectivity of contrast adaptation in cats: Some evidence for a common plan in the mammmlian visual system

1990 ◽  
Vol 4 (05) ◽  
pp. 413-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.A. Berkley
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Contrast Sensitivity ◽  
Striate Cortex ◽  
Frequency Tuning ◽  
Spatial Vision ◽  
Adaptation Effect ◽  
Test Grating ◽  
Contrast Adaptation ◽  
Visual Systems ◽  
Spatial Frequencies

AbstractAn aftereffects paradigm was used to behaviorally measure contrast sensitivity of cats to gratings of three different test spatial frequencies after adaptation to gratings of various spatial frequencies, contrasts, and durations. Post-adaptation reductions in sensitivity occurred even after short periods of adaptation (&lt;7 s) and could be as large as 1.0 log unit under some conditions. The magnitude of the adaptation effect varied monotonically with (1) adaptation grating contrast, (2) duration, and (3) the contrast sensitivity for the test grating. Average half-width (at half-height) of the spatial-frequency tuning curves constructed from the data was 1.4 octaves, and was not dependent upon the level of adaptation or the spatial frequency of the test grating. Post-adaptation psychometric functions of the cats showed reduced slopes and maxima suggesting that, unlike humans, in cats apparent contrast grows more slowly with increases in physical contrast after contrast adaptation. All of the characteristics observed are in excellent agreement with electrophysiologically measured properties of neurons in striate cortex of cats. In addition, there was a remarkable similarity of the cat tuning functions, both in shape and bandpass, to those measured in man with a similar paradigm suggesting that (1) the two visual systems are sufficiently similar to make the cat a useful spatial vision model and (2) there is a common functional plan to all mammalian visual systems despite significant anatomical differences between species.

Afferent bases of spatial- and temporal-frequency processing by neurons in the cat's posteromedial lateral suprasylvian cortex: effects of removing areas 17, 18, and 19

1990 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
pp. 1636-1651 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Guido ◽  
L. Tong ◽  
P. D. Spear
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Contrast Sensitivity ◽  
Temporal Frequency ◽  
Direction Selectivity ◽  
Response Amplitude ◽  
Response Threshold ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Spatial Frequencies ◽  
Adult Cats ◽  
Frequency Processing

1. We investigated whether spatial- and temporal-frequency processing by neurons in the cat's posteromedial lateral suprasylvian (PMLS) extrastriate cortex depends on inputs from ipsilateral areas 17, 18, and 19 (visual cortex; VC) or occurs in parallel with those cortical areas. 2. Single neurons were recorded in PMLS cortex of normal adult cats and adult cats that had ipsilateral VC removed within 24 h before recording. Receptive-field properties were characterized, and responses to sine-wave gratings of different spatial frequencies, contrasts, and temporal frequencies were measured and Fourier analyzed. 3. As in previous studies, removing inputs from VC led to a reduction in the proportion of direction-selective PMLS cells. In addition there were statistically significant reductions in response amplitude and variability, although signal-to-noise ratios were unchanged. Contrast sensitivity also was reduced at all spatial frequencies. Spatial resolution was reduced slightly; however, this reduction appears to be secondary to the overall reduction in response amplitude and sensitivity. 4. The shape of the spatial-frequency contrast-sensitivity functions and the distribution of optimal spatial frequencies were unaffected by removing inputs from VC. In addition, once response threshold was reached, the slope of the contrast-response function (contrast gain) at the optimal spatial frequency was similar for PMLS cells in normal cats and cats with a VC lesion. 5. When tested at the optimal spatial frequency, temporal-frequency bandwidths, high and low temporal-frequency cutoffs, and optimal temporal frequencies were similar for PMLS cells in normal cats and cats with VC removed. 6. The results thus indicate that inputs from VC are important for the elaboration of direction selectivity and affect response amplitude and contrast sensitivity among PMLS neurons. However, visual-cortical inputs have little or no influence on spatial- and temporal-frequency processing by PMLS neurons. These properties depend on inputs from other cortical areas or the thalamus and are processed in parallel with areas 17, 18, and 19.

Spatial Contrast Sensitivity of Migraine Patients Without Aura

Cephalalgia ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Benedek ◽  
J Tajti ◽  
M Janáky ◽  
L Vécsei ◽  
G Benedek
Keyword(s):  
Healthy Volunteers ◽  
Contrast Sensitivity ◽  
Migraine Without Aura ◽  
Marked Decrease ◽  
Primary Headache ◽  
Visual Pathway ◽  
Control Subjects ◽  
Spatial Frequencies ◽  
Spatial Contrast Sensitivity ◽  
Visual Disturbances

Visual disturbances are frequent symptoms in migraine. Since there is a possibility of separate damage in the magno- or parvo-cellular visual pathway in migraine patients, we performed a study including the measurement of static and dynamic spatial contrast sensitivity on 15 patients suffering from migraine without aura under photopic and scotopic conditions. Fifteen healthy volunteers without primary headache served as controls. The results revealed a marked decrease in contrast sensitivity at low spatial frequencies in the migraine patients. Spatial contrast sensitivity demonstrated some lateralization, as the sensitivity to low spatial frequencies obtained through separate eyes showed significantly larger side-differences in migraine patients than in control subjects. These findings suggest that the mechanisms responsible for vision at low spatial frequencies are impaired in migraine patients. This might indicate impaired function of the magnocellular pathways in this condition.

scholarly journals Neuronal basis of perceptual learning in striate cortex

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen Ren ◽  
Jiawei Zhou ◽  
Zhimo Yao ◽  
Zhengchun Wang ◽  
Nini Yuan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Perceptual Learning ◽  
Contrast Sensitivity ◽  
Striate Cortex ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
High Spatial Frequency ◽  
Sensitivity Training ◽  
Spatial Frequencies ◽  
Cortex Area ◽  
Adult Cats

Abstract It is well known that, in humans, contrast sensitivity training at high spatial frequency (SF) not only leads to contrast sensitivity improvement, but also results in an improvement in visual acuity as assessed with gratings (direct effect) or letters (transfer effect). However, the underlying neural mechanisms of this high spatial frequency training improvement remain to be elucidated. In the present study, we examined four properties of neurons in primary visual cortex (area 17) of adult cats that exhibited significantly improved acuity after contrast sensitivity training with a high spatial frequency grating and those of untrained control cats. We found no difference in neuronal contrast sensitivity or tuning width (Width) between the trained and untrained cats. However, the trained cats showed a displacement of the cells’ optimal spatial frequency (OSF) to higher spatial frequencies as well as a larger neuronal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Furthermore, both the neuronal differences in OSF and SNR were significantly correlated with the improvement of acuity measured behaviorally. These results suggest that striate neurons might mediate the perceptual learning-induced improvement for high spatial frequency stimuli by an alteration in their spatial frequency representation and by an increased SNR.

Temporal and Spatial Frequency Tuning of the Flicker Motion Aftereffect

Perception ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 25 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 12-12
Author(s):  
P J Bex ◽  
F A J Verstraten ◽  
I Mareschal
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Frequency Tuning ◽  
Temporal Frequency ◽  
Motion Aftereffect ◽  
Sine Wave ◽  
Test Grating ◽  
Spatial Frequency Tuning ◽  
Spatial Frequencies ◽  
Low Pass ◽  
Sine Wave Gratings

The motion aftereffect (MAE) was used to study the temporal-frequency and spatial-frequency selectivity of the visual system at suprathreshold contrasts. Observers adapted to drifting sine-wave gratings of a range of spatial and temporal frequencies. The magnitude of the MAE induced by the adaptation was measured with counterphasing test gratings of a variety of spatial and temporal frequencies. Independently of the spatial or temporal frequency of the adapting grating, the largest MAE was found with slowly counterphasing test gratings (∼0.125 – 0.25 Hz). For slowly counterphasing test gratings (<∼2 Hz), the largest MAEs were found when the test grating was of similar spatial frequency to that of the adapting grating, even at very low spatial frequencies (0.125 cycle deg−1). However, such narrow spatial frequency tuning was lost when the temporal frequency of the test grating was increased. The data suggest that MAEs are dominated by a single, low-pass temporal-frequency mechanism and by a series of band-pass spatial-frequency mechanisms at low temporal frequencies. At higher test temporal frequencies, the loss of spatial-frequency tuning implicates separate mechanisms with broader spatial frequency tuning.

Spatial Integration of Objectively Equiluminous Chromatic Gratings

Perception ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 26 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 200-200
Author(s):  
M I Kankaanpää ◽  
J Rovamo ◽  
H T Kukkonen ◽  
J Hallikainen
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Contrast Sensitivity ◽  
Spatial Integration ◽  
Chromatic Contrast ◽  
Shape Difference ◽  
Sensitivity Functions ◽  
Spatial Frequencies ◽  
Low Pass ◽  
Chromatic Aberrations ◽  
Chromatic Contrast Sensitivity

Contrast sensitivity functions for achromatic and chromatic gratings tend to be band-pass and low-pass in shape, respectively. Our aim was to test whether spatial integration contributes to the shape difference found at low spatial frequencies. We measured binocular chromatic contrast sensitivity as a function of grating area for objectively equiluminous red - green and blue - yellow chromatic gratings. Chromatic contrast refers to the Michelson contrast of either of the two chromatic component gratings presented in counterphase against the combined background. Grating area ( A) varied from 1 to 256 square cycles ( Af2) at spatial frequencies ( f) of 0.125 – 4.0 cycles deg−1. We used only horizontal gratings at low and medium spatial frequencies to minimise the transverse and longitudinal chromatic aberrations due to ocular optics. At all spatial frequencies studied, chromatic contrast sensitivity increased with grating area. Ac was found to be constant at low spatial frequencies (0.125 – 0.5 cycles deg−1) but decreased in inverse proportion to increasing spatial frequency at 1 – 4 cycles deg−1. Thus, spatial integration depends similarly on spatial frequency for achromatic (Luntinen et al, 1995 Vision Research35 2339 – 2346) and chromatic gratings, and differences in spatial integration do not contribute to the shape difference of the respective contrast sensitivity functions.

scholarly journals Contrast sensitivity and behavioural evidence for lateral inhibition in octopus

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 20190134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Nahmad-Rohen ◽  
Misha Vorobyev
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Contrast Sensitivity ◽  
Lateral Inhibition ◽  
Neural Processing ◽  
Visual Systems ◽  
Maximum Value ◽  
Fixation Reflex ◽  
First Time ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Behavioural Evidence

Behavioural contrast sensitivity in Octopus tetricus was measured in the range of 0.05–12 cycles per degree (cpd) using a fixation reflex. We show that the contrast sensitivity reaches its maximum (between 1 and 4%) at 0.3 cpd, and decreases to approximately half of the maximum value at the lowest spatial frequency. Reduction of sensitivity at low spatial frequency is a signature of lateral inhibition in visual systems. In vertebrates and insects, lateral inhibition helps to overcome the bottleneck of encoding information into spikes. In octopus, photoreceptors generate spikes themselves and are directly connected to the brain through their axons. Therefore, the neural processing occurring in the octopus brain cannot help overcome the bottleneck of encoding information into spikes. We conclude that, in octopus, either the lateral inhibition occurs in the brain after information has been encoded into spikes, or photoreceptors inhibit each other. This is the first time behavioural contrast sensitivity has been measured in a cephalopod.

scholarly journals Comparison of CSV-1000 and Metrovision contrast sensitivity tests in normal eyes

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-70
Author(s):  
Abolfazl Tahkor ◽  
Javad Heravian Shandiz ◽  
Abbas Azimi Khorasani ◽  
Alireza Ansari Moghadam
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Contrast Sensitivity ◽  
Measurement Methods ◽  
Slit Lamp ◽  
Limits Of Agreement ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Spatial Frequencies ◽  
Sensitivity Tests ◽  
Movement Assessment ◽  
Visual Screening

Background: Measuring contrast sensitivity (CS) allows a better understanding of the visual performance of the human eye. This study aimed to examine the correlation and agreement between the results of two sinewave grating-based CS measurement methods, Metrovision and CSV-1000, in normal eyes. Methods: This cross-sectional, comparative study was performed between December 2018 and April 2019, at an optometry clinic. Subjects underwent comprehensive ocular examinations, which included pupil reflexes, subjective refraction, external eye examinations, smooth pursuit eye movement assessment, the cover–uncover test, and detailed slit-lamp examination of the anterior and posterior segments. Metrovision and CSV-1000 were employed to assess CS under photopic conditions. The correlation and agreement of the results of the two tests were evaluated. Results: CS was measured for 104 normal eyes for 3, 6, 12, and 18 cycles per degree (cpd) spatial frequencies (participants’ mean age ± standard deviation: 37.3 ± 26.4 years). The CSV-1000 measurements were significantly higher for the 3 and 6 cpd spatial frequencies (both P = 0.01); however, at higher spatial frequencies, CS scores were similar. The highest and lowest differences between the two tests were recorded for the 3 cpd spatial frequency and 18 cpd spatial frequency, respectively. Except for the 3 cpd spatial frequency, in both eyes, the findings correlated significantly between the CSV-1000 and Metrovision (P < 0.05). The narrowest and widest limits of agreement between the two tests were found for the 12 and 3 cpd spatial frequencies, respectively. Conclusions: The CSV-1000 method estimated CS higher than the Metrovision method, mostly at lower spatial frequencies. Furthermore, the agreement between the two methods was greater at higher spatial frequencies than at lower frequencies. This should be kept in mind when using the two methods interchangeably in visual screening.

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