Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Visualizing Visual Adaptation
Published on: April 24, 2017
Adaptation of oriented and unoriented color-selective neurons in human visual areas
1Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, 1282a Franz Hall, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA. engel@psych.ucla.edu
Abstract:
Primary visual cortex contains at least two distinct populations of color-selective cells: neurons in one have circularly symmetric receptive fields and respond best to reddish and greenish light, while neurons in another have oriented receptive fields and a variety of color preferences. The relative prevalence and perceptual roles of the two kinds of neurons remain controversial, however. We used fMRI and a selective adaptation technique to measure responses attributable to these two populations. The technique revealed evidence of adaptation in both populations and indicated that they each produced strong signals in V1 and other human visual areas. The activity of both sets of neurons was also reflected in color appearance measurements made with the same stimuli. Thus, both oriented and unoriented color-selective cells in V1 are important components of the neural pathways that underlie perception of color.
More Related Videos
07:08Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings
Published on: August 1, 2018
11:24Targeted Labeling of Neurons in a Specific Functional Micro-domain of the Neocortex by Combining Intrinsic Signal and Two-photon Imaging
Published on: December 12, 2012
Related Concept Videos
Vision
Anatomy of the Eyeball
Color Vision
Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways
The Retina
Parallel Processing