The contrast sensitivity, spatial resolution and velocity tuning of the cat's optokinetic reflex

1. Optokinetic nystagmus has been evoked from two cats using horizontally moving vertical grating patterns with sinusoidally modulated wave forms (mean luminance 8.5 cd/m2). Eye movements were recorded by DC electro-oculography. 2. The velocity 'tuning' of the slow phase response was measured for high-contrast (0.8) gratings with spatial frequencies ranging from 0.18 to 2.8 cycles/deg. Irrespective of spatial frequency, the gain of slow phase tracking always declined as the stimulus velocity exceeded 5-8 deg/sec. 3. The effect of variations in grating contrast on the gain of slow phase tracking was investigated for spatial frequencies ranging from 0.04 to 2.8 cycles/deg. These gratings always moved at a velocity of 3 deg/sec. Reductions in grating contrast produced a fall in the gain of slow phase tracking. At any given contrast, the extent of the fall in gain depended on spatial frequency. At no value of spatial frequency was an optokinetic response demonstrable when the contrast fell below 0.02. 4. The above results have been used to derive the threshold contrast for evoking an optokinetic response at each spatial frequency tested. A contrast sensitivity function is plotted from these threshold contrasts, and this is compared with previous estimates of the cat's contrast sensitivity function derived from measurements of visual discrimination and cortical evoked potentials.