The pattern ERG in response to colored stimuli

The pattern-evoked electroretinogram (PERG) was studied in response to square-wave stripe patterns contrasting either between dark and colored stripes ("red-black" or "green-black" luminance contrast pattern) or between the two colors (red-green chromatic contrast pattern). All lights were matched in photopic luminance. A two-channel Maxwellian view system was used to present the stimuli in the onset-offset mode. When no pattern was present a mixture of both colors was seen. Different spatial frequencies were studied and the amplitudes of the onset response were evaluated. When the two luminance contrast patterns were presented, the responses showed a spatial selectivity. However the combination of the two colors (red-green contrast) resulted in a monotonic decrease of the response with spatial frequency. The spatially selective behavior of the response to luminance contrast patterns could be associated with the on-off center-surround organization of retinal receptive fields. The behavior of the response to chromatic-contrast patterns, on the other hand, could be explained by the action of color-opponent center-surround receptive fields as described in the primate.