The Accessory Optic System in the Newt, Triturus cristatus: Unitary Response Properties from the Basal Optic Neuropil

1982 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 175-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerhard Manteuffel
Keyword(s):  
Optic System ◽  
Accessory Optic System ◽  
Triturus Cristatus ◽  
Response Properties ◽  
Unitary Response ◽  
Optic Neuropil

The accessory optic system of rabbit. I. Basic visual response properties

1988 ◽  
Vol 60 (6) ◽  
pp. 2037-2054 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Soodak ◽  
J. I. Simpson
Keyword(s):  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Receptive Fields ◽  
Extracellular Recording ◽  
Vestibular Stimulation ◽  
Visual Response ◽  
Optic System ◽  
Accessory Optic System ◽  
Response Properties ◽  
Tuning Curves ◽  
Sinusoidal Oscillations

1. The response properties of accessory optic system (AOS) neurons were assessed using single-unit extracellular recording from each of the three AOS terminal nuclei [medial, lateral, and dorsal terminal nuclei (MTN, LTN, and DTN)] in the anesthetized rabbit. 2. AOS neurons had large, monocular (contralateral) receptive fields (tens of degrees on a side) and exhibited a pronounced selectivity to the speed and direction of movement of large, textured patterns. The greatest responses occurred at slow speeds on the order of 0.5 degrees/s. 3. MTN and LTN neurons responded best to movement in near vertical directions. However, the stimulus directions corresponding to the greatest excitation and the greatest inhibition both had a posterior component and, thus, the preferred excitatory and inhibitory directions were not opposite each other. DTN neurons responded most strongly to horizontal movement and were excited by temporal to nasal movement. 4. AOS neurons were unresponsive to natural vestibular stimulation presented as sinusoidal oscillations of the rabbit about the yaw, pitch, and roll axes. 5. The response properties of AOS neurons are remarkably similar to those of the ON, direction-selective ganglion cells of the rabbit retina, and therefore this class of ganglion cell is most likely the predominant, if not the only, direct retinal input to the AOS. The local direction-selective properties of AOS neurons can be accounted for by combining the tuning curves of ON, direction-selective ganglion cells in a simple manner. 6. The low speed preference of AOS neurons, along with their large receptive fields suggests that they are suited to complement the vestibular system in detecting self-motion.

Response Properties of Optic Flow Neurons in the Accessory Optic System of Hummingbirds vs. Zebra Finches and Pigeons

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea H Gaede ◽  
Vikram B Baliga ◽  
Graham Smyth ◽  
Cristian Gutiérrez-Ibáñez ◽  
Douglas Leonard Altshuler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optic Flow ◽  
Receptive Fields ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Visual Response ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Optic System ◽  
Accessory Optic System ◽  
Stimulus Velocity ◽  
Response Properties ◽  
Optokinetic Responses

Optokinetic responses function to maintain retinal image stabilization by minimizing optic flow that occurs during self-motion. The hovering ability of hummingbirds is an extreme example of this behaviour. Optokinetic responses are mediated by direction-selective neurons with large receptive fields in the accessory optic system (AOS) and pretectum. Recent studies in hummingbirds showed that, compared to other bird species, (i) the pretectal nucleus lentiformis mesencephali (LM) is hypertrophied, (ii) LM has a unique distribution of direction preferences, and (iii) LM neurons are more tightly tuned to stimulus velocity. In this study, we sought to determine if there are concomitant changes in the nucleus of the basal optic root (nBOR) of the AOS. We recorded the visual response properties of nBOR neurons to largefield drifting random dot patterns and sine wave gratings in Anna's hummingbirds and zebra finches and compared these with archival data from pigeons. We found no differences with respect to the distribution of direction preferences: Neurons responsive to upwards, downwards and nasal-to-temporal motion were equally represented in all three species, and neurons responsive to temporal-to-nasal motion were rare or absent (<5%). Compared to zebra finches and pigeons, however, hummingbird nBOR neurons were more tightly tuned to stimulus velocity of random dot stimuli. Moreover, in response to drifting gratings, hummingbird nBOR neurons are more tightly tuned in the spatio-temporal domain. These results, in combination with specialization in LM, supports a hypothesis that hummingbirds have evolved to be "optic flow specialist" to cope with the optomotor demands of sustained hovering flight.

Connectivity of the turtle accessory optic system

2003 ◽  
Vol 989 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy E Weber ◽  
John Martin ◽  
Michael Ariel
Keyword(s):  
Optic System ◽  
Accessory Optic System

Retinal ganglion cells projecting to the rabbit accessory optic system

1980 ◽  
Vol 190 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clyde W. Oyster ◽  
John I. Simpson ◽  
Ellen S. Takahashi ◽  
Robert E. Soodak
Keyword(s):  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Optic System ◽  
Accessory Optic System

Displaced ganglion cells and the accessory optic system of pigeon

1981 ◽  
Vol 195 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine V. Fite ◽  
Nicholas Brecha ◽  
Harvey J. Karten ◽  
Stephen P. Hunt
Keyword(s):  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Optic System ◽  
Accessory Optic System
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