Limits of binocular fusion in the short wave sensitive ("blue") cones

Asymmetries between achromatic and chromatic extraction of 3D motion signals

Motion in depth (MID) can be cued by high-resolution changes in binocular disparity over time (CD), and low-resolution interocular velocity differences (IOVD). Computational differences between these two mechanisms suggest that they may be implemented in visual pathways with different spatial and temporal resolutions. Here, we used fMRI to examine how achromatic and S-cone signals contribute to human MID perception. Both CD and IOVD stimuli evoked responses in a widespread network that included early visual areas, parts of the dorsal and ventral streams, and motion-selective area hMT+. Crucially, however, we measured an interaction between MID type and chromaticity. fMRI CD responses were largely driven by achromatic stimuli, but IOVD responses were better driven by isoluminant S-cone inputs. In our psychophysical experiments, when S-cone and achromatic stimuli were matched for perceived contrast, participants were equally sensitive to the MID in achromatic and S-cone IOVD stimuli. In comparison, they were relatively insensitive to S-cone CD. These findings provide evidence that MID mechanisms asymmetrically draw on information in precortical pathways. An early opponent motion signal optimally conveyed by the S-cone pathway may provide a substantial contribution to the IOVD mechanism.

Surface edges mitigate the disparity gradient constraint on binocular fusion and visual direction

One function of the visual system is to combine the different views of the two eyes so that each object appears in a single direction. Using pairs of isolated dots, previous studies have found that binocular fusion gives way to diplopia if the disparity gradient between the dots is steep. This paper evaluates whether fusion is possible in the presence of steep disparity gradients if those gradients occur between the edges of two surfaces, not isolated dots. Two target squares with a steep disparity gradient were presented alone, or were incorporated into separate surfaces - one foreground, the other background. The addition of surfaces, or support texture, restored fusion, overcoming the disparity gradient constraint on fusion. Visual direction was the average of the monocular views in the presence of support texture, indicating that single vision arose from fusion rather than a local suppression of one eye's view. The results suggest a close relationship between the disparity gradient constraint on fusion and the mitigating influence of support texture, because both effects decline dramatically over the same small range of element separations and both effects are reduced by differences in contrast polarity.

What limits detection and resolution of short-wavelength sinusoidal gratings across the retina?

Peripheral resolution acuity for achromatic gratings is known to be limited by the density of the underlying ganglion cell sampling array. After confirming isolation of the short-wavelength sensitive (SWS) system using chromatic adaptation methods, we wished to determine if resolution is limited by blue/yellow ganglion cell sampling (evidenced by a superiority of detection over resolution acuity and the perception of aliasing) and thus directly related to SWS-driven ganglion cell density. We measured detection and resolution acuity between 0 degrees and 35 degrees, using blue sinusoidal gratings superimposed on a yellow adapting background which ranged in intensity from 2.5 to 4.7logTrolands. At all locations, a break could be observed in the acuity vs. illumination curves followed by a plateau. Detection and resolution acuity were the same for low background intensities, but resolution acuity was lower than detection at higher intensities, accompanied by observations of chromatic aliasing. SWS resolution is sampling-limited across the retina and agrees well with predicted performance based on anatomical estimates of small bistratified ganglion cell density.

The role of spatial frequency in color induction

Color induction was measured for test and inducing chromaticities presented in spatial square-wave alternation, with spatial frequencies of 0.7, 4.0, 6.0 and 9.0 cpd. Observers matched the test chromaticities to a rectangular matching field using haploscopic presentation. Data were collected and analyzed within the framework of a cone chromaticity space, allowing analysis of spatial frequency effects on post-receptoral spectral opponent pathways. Assimilation, a shift of chromaticity toward the inducing chromaticity, was found at the highest spatial frequency (9.0 cpd). Contrast, a shift of chromaticity away from the inducing chromaticity, occurred at the lowest spatial frequency (0.7 cpd). The spatial frequency at the transition point from assimilation to contrast was near 4 cpd, independent of the cone axis. Assimilation was unaffected by the presence of a neutral surround and could be described by a spread light model. Contrast was reduced in the presence of a neutral surround. The data suggested that retinal contrast signals are important determinants in the perception of chromatic contrast.

Chromatic and luminance contributions to a hyperacuity task

Displacement thresholds with incremental chromatic and luminance edges were measured on different backgrounds. Above 3% luminance contrast, thresholds were always similar. At luminance contrasts below 3%, luminance edges could not be detected, but chromatic edges were still visible. At these low contrasts displacement thresholds for chromatic edges increased to a high level. We interpret these data in terms of multiple mechanisms; above 3% contrast a luminance mechanism determines thresholds, but when, at lower contrasts, chromatic mechanisms support detection, they also support the spatial task. Physiological data were consistent with the different mechanisms originating at the retinal ganglion cell level.

Color vision in two observers with highly biased LWS/MWS cone ratios

Two sisters, heterozygous carriers for congenital X-linked protanopia, were diagnosed as normal trichromats by the Rayleigh match on the anomaloscope. The heterozygous state was established by molecular analysis of their visual pigment genes. The normal color match establishes that the spectral sensitivities of their long-wavelength-sensitive (LWS) and middle-wavelength-sensitive (MWS) cone visual photopigments are within normal variability. Their FM 100-hue test error scores were low, demonstrating superior chromatic discrimination. Heterochromatic flicker photometric (HEP) spectral sensitivities were like those of protanopes. The estimated LWS/MWS cone ratios from the HFP data were 0.09/1 and 0.03/1, compared with ratios in the range of 0.6/1 to 10/1 for typical normal trichromats. Measurements of chromatic grating acuity on chromatically selective backgrounds were performed to study the cone mosaic. The data were consistent with a sparsity of LWS cones. Both protan carriers showed normal spectral sensitivities for all three cone types under cone isolating chromatic adaptation and normal three-peaked curves for increment thresholds on a white pedestal. Hue estimation, run on one carrier was normal. The equilibrium yellow locus was measured in the other carrier and was in the range of normal trichromats. The data indicate that normal color vision can occur even when the LWS/MWS cone ratio is quite abnormal.

Decreases in the critical disparity gradient with eccentricity may reflect the size-disparity correlation

The interaction between dot separation and fusible disparity limits (critical disparity gradient) was assessed at 0, 2, 4, and 8 deg eccentricity by 19 subjects. The critical disparity gradient showed a significant decrease with eccentricity such that larger separations were required for fusion of a given disparity as eccentricity increased. An argument is put forth that this relationship supports a size-disparity correlation. The significant disparity-eccentricity interaction may be explained by both the progressive loss of higher-spatial-frequency channels with eccentricity and a reduction in the range of disparities processed by a channel as eccentricity is increased. Individual differences in the trend across eccentricity are noted and discussed.

Influence of the luminance and opponent chromatic channels on stereopsis with random-dot stereograms

The present work examines the relationship between random-dot stereograms (via the disparity range parameter) and color-vision mechanisms (via the luminance channel and red-green and tritan directions at isoluminance). The results clearly indicate that the variations in the stereograms along red-green confusion lines contribute to stereopsis. Stereoscopic perception depends on spatial information for stereograms generated with variations along tritan confusion lines. For observers who perceive stereopsis via tritan directions, the results show a gradation in the disparity range, with the disparity range for stereograms generated by luminance variations being greater than for stereograms generated in red-green directions; the latter range is, in turn, greater than for stereograms generated along tritan directions.

The enhanced S cone syndrome: an analysis of receptoral and post-receptoral changes

The purpose of the study was to test the hypothesis that the retinae of patients with enhanced S cone syndrome (ESCS) have more S cones than the normal retina and these cones have replaced some of the L and M cones. Standard and spectral full-field electroretinograms, measurements of L, M, and S cone system sensitivities and S cone acuity were obtained from three patients with ESCS. The results were qualitatively consistent with the presence of more S cones and more S cone ganglion cells. To test this hypothesis further, a model of the receptoral and post-receptoral components of the S cone system was used in conjunction with psychophysical measurements of S cone system sensitivity under flashed and steady-state adaptation conditions. Within the context of the model, the data were consistent with an increase in the number of S cones and S - (L + M) ganglion cells and with a decrease in the total L + M cone input to each S - (L + M) ganglion cell.

Stereopsis from interocular spatial frequency differences is not robust

Based on data obtained using one-dimensional noise patterns, Tyler & Sutter (1979). (Vision Research, 19, 859-865) concluded that stereoscopic tilt can result from an interocular spatial frequency difference in the absence of consistent horizontal disparity. We tested stereopsis using two-dimensional random-dot patterns that were bandpass filtered to contain 1.0 octave bands of spatial frequency with means that differed between the two eyes. With vertical, one-dimensional stimuli we replicated the results of Tyler and Sutter. However, stereoscopic tilt was not perceived based on spatial frequency differences alone when the monocular images contained as little as a +/- 14 deg range of orientation variation. In addition, model simulations demonstrate that the modest steroscopic performance produced by interocular spatial frequency differences in one-dimensional noise patterns are predicted by random disparity correlations at the pattern edges. The observations lead to the conclusion that stereopsis from frequency differences in the absence of pointwise disparity correlations does not reflect a special processing capability of human vision but is an artifact associated with one-dimensional stimuli. As such, it plays no role in steroscopic analysis of the natural environment.

Binocular rivalry with isoluminant stimuli visible only via short-wavelength-sensitive cones

To test whether the binocular contour rivalry mechanism is tritanopic, we presented isoluminant, rival stimuli visible only via the short-wavelength-sensitive (S) cones. We stimulated only the S cones with violet gratings superimposed on a bright yellow field that adapted the responses of the middle- and long-wavelength-sensitive (M and L) cones. We found that an S-cone grating presented to one eye rivalled with an orthogonal grating presented to the other. Rivalry persisted over a range of luminances and contrasts of the S-cone stimuli, and was greater than could be accounted for by nonrival fading. The spatial spread of rivalry from S-cone stimuli is similar to that for the same stimuli when visible also to the M and L cones (luminance stimuli). We found that an S-cone stimulus would rival with a luminance stimulus, and exploited this to determine the equivalent luminance contrast of S-cone stimuli by putting them in a rivalry competition with luminance stimuli. For rivalry, the equivalent luminance contrast of isoluminant, S-cone stimuli is much less than their S-cone contrast. The existence of rivalry with isoluminant stimuli, along with earlier evidence that such stimuli can support stereopsis, challenges the view that an achromatic channel alone drives certain higher level functions such as depth perception.

The spatial precision of macaque ganglion cell responses in relation to vernier acuity of human observers

Responses of parafoveal macaque ganglion cells were measured as a function of the contrast and position of an edge flashed within their receptive fields. The goal was to determine the ability of different cell types to signal edge location. For comparison, parafoveal vernier thresholds of human observers were measured with pairs of flashed edges. Cells of the magnocellular (MC-) pathway gave larger responses than cells of the parvocellular (PC-) pathway. Neurometric analyses comparing a cell's response at different edge positions were performed. The positional signal from single MC-pathway cells was more precise than from PC-pathway cells, especially at lower contrasts. In a second analysis, based on the neurophysiological results, responses from a matrix of ganglion cells were generated. Using a simple model, vernier performance expected from such a matrix was predicted as a function of edge length and contrast. Again, the MC-pathway gave a more precise positional signal than the PC-pathway despite the latter's numerical advantage. At contrasts of 20% and below, only the MC-pathway would appear capable of supporting vernier performance with our stimuli. At higher contrasts either the MC- or PC-pathway could provide an adequate signal.

Spatial-frequency adaptation: evidence for a multiple-channel model of short-wavelength-sensitive-cone spatial vision

The frequency selective effects of spatial adaptation were measured with vertically-oriented, cosine stimuli upon an intense long-wavelength (yellow) field, which isolated the short-wavelength-sensitive (S) cones. Consistent with isolated-S-cone spatial threshold and masking results, the adaptation measurements demonstrate S-cones input to multiple, orientation selective, spatial frequency mechanisms. Moreover, the adaptation measurements show the minimum number of S-cone mechanisms is three. The frequency tuning of each mechanism was derived from the S-cone threshold and masking results. Two of the tuning curves are bandpass with peak sensitivities in a vicinity of 0.7 and 1.4 c/deg, respectively. These two closely resemble tuning curves derived from results with luminance-modulated stimuli. Confined to the range of frequencies examined (0.25-2.83 c/deg), the third tuning curve is lowpass with a high-frequency cutoff of roughly 2.0 c/deg. However, subsequent measurements of orientation selectivity demonstrate the third mechanism to have bandpass frequency tuning as well.

Spatial frequency mechanisms with short-wavelength-sensitive cone inputs

We have estimated the minimum number and frequency tuning of spatial mechanisms with Short-Wavelength-Sensitive (SWS)-cone inputs. This was accomplished by isolating SWS cones with intense, long-wavelength (yellow) adaptation, and measuring threshold elevation functions for short-wavelength, spatially localized test stimuli masked by obliquely oriented, short-wavelength, cosine gratings. Peak spatial frequency of the cosine gratings and test stimuli varied from 0.25 to 2.83 cpd in 0.5 octave steps. Results derived in this manner demonstrate that SWS cones input to at least two orientation selective mechanisms with peak spatial frequencies of approx. 0.7 and 1.4 cpd, respectively. The frequency tuning of the isolated-SWS-cone, spatial frequency mechanisms resemble closely the lowest two mechanisms measured with luminance modulation (i.e. normal viewing conditions where all cones contribute to the response).

Color as a source of information in the stereo correspondence process

Although previous research has shown that depth perception is weak for isoluminant stereograms, the possibility remains that color plays an important role in stereopsis when luminance variations are present. To examine this possibility, we measured the relative contribution of chromatic and luminance cues in solving the correspondence problem for ambiguous "wallpaper" stereograms composed of vertical bars. Using an ideal-observer analysis, we found that chromatic cues were used much more efficiently than luminance cues in disambiguating these stereograms when the patterns were presented on a dark background but were used with about equal efficiency when presented on a light background. Another experiment (using the same wallpaper patterns) showed that chromatic and luminance cues were also used with about equal efficiency in a standard stereo detection task. Some of the implications of these results for theories of stereo vision are discussed.

Spatial sensitization in the short wavelength sensitive pathways under dichoptic viewing conditions

Spatial sensitization (Westheimer) functions were measured under conditions that isolated the short wavelength sensitive pathways. The variable diameter pedestal and the test probe were either presented to the same eye (monoptic presentation) or to different eyes (dichoptic presentation). The most significant new finding was that a dichoptically presented, small, blue pedestal caused threshold elevations of about 1-2 long units for an S cone detected probe. However, a large pedestal caused little or no change in threshold. This result contrasts with previous results using white light stimuli, which showed that steadily presented dichoptic pedestals caused little or no threshold change. Furthermore, we show there is little masking when the probe is detected by the isolated M or L cone pathways. These data thus demonstrate a binocular, size dependent interaction revealed only when S cones detect the probe.

Short wavelength sensitive cone acuity: individual differences and clinical use

Acuity of the short wavelength sensitive (SWS) cone pathways was evaluated in 195 observers ages 5-72. A rapid staircase procedure gave comparable results to a longer frequency-of-seeing procedure. Large and reliable individual differences were found among normal observers. Interindividual variability could not be accounted for by differences in density of prereceptoral filters, differences in sensitivity of the SWS cones, or effects of the macular SWS cone-free region, but could be accounted for in part by differences in the accommodative state. Therefore it is important to control the accommodative state in younger observers. SWS cone acuity can be measured reliably and rapidly in a clinical environment and provides a complement to increment threshold measures of the SWS cone pathways.