Spatial relations of flicker signals in the two rod pathways in man

1. Flicker signals originating from the human rod photoreceptors seem to have access to two retinal pathways: one slow and sensitive, the other fast and insensitive. The phase lag between signals in the two pathways grows monotonically with frequency, reaching 180 deg near 15 Hz. 2. At 15 Hz, destructive interference between the slow and the fast signals can cause two related phenomena: (i) a suprathreshold intensity region--the perceptual null--within which the perception of flicker vanishes, and (ii) a double branching of the 15 Hz rod-detected flicker threshold versus intensity (TVI) curve. 3. Here we investigate the effect of changing target size on these phenomena in normal human observers. We find that the double-branched flicker TVI curve and the perceptual null are found for all targets larger than 2 deg in diameter. For smaller diameter targets, however, neither the lower branch of the double-branched flicker TVI curve nor the null are found. 4. While this might suggest that the slow rod signals are selectively disadvantaged by the use of small targets, phase measurements relative to a cone standard reveal that the slow signals are always present. For targets < or = 2 deg in diameter, however, they remain below detection threshold because of destructive interference with the fast rod signals. Thus, for small targets, the perceptual null is not absent, but has merged with (and therefore obliterated) the lower branch of the double-branched flicker TVI function. 5. This situation could arise if decreasing the target size causes a parallel reduction in the sensitivities of both pathways, rather than a selective reduction in the sensitivity of either one. Our findings are therefore consistent with a model in which the large-scale spatial organization of the two rod pathways is roughly similar.