The dynamics of visual responses in the primary visual cortex

There is a transformation in behavior in the visual system of cats and primates, from neurons in the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN) that are not tuned for orientation to orientation-tuned cells in primary visual cortex (V1). The visual stimuli that excite V1 can be well controlled, and the thalamic inputs to V1 from the LGN have been measured precisely. Much has been learned about basic principles of cortical neurophysiology on account of the intense investigation of the transformation between LGN and V1. Here we present a discussion of different models for visual cortex and orientation selectivity, and then discuss our own experimental findings about the dynamics of orientation selectivity. We consider what these theoretical analyses and experimental results imply about cerebral cortical function. The conclusion is that there is a very important role for intracortical interactions, especially cortico-cortical inhibition, in producing neurons in the visual cortex highly selective for orientation.