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Evidence for spatial aliasing effects in the Y-like cells of the magnocellular visual pathway

T Maddess1, J M Hemmi, A C James

  • 1Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. Ted.Maddess@anu.edu.au

Vision Research
|November 3, 1998
PubMed

Insights

Visual perception can be dominated by spatial aliasing, suggesting a specific retinal sampling array. This finding highlights the role of M(y)-cells in rapid retinal gain control.

Area of Science:

  • Visual neuroscience
  • Retinal processing

Background:

  • Spatial aliasing can influence visual perception under specific viewing conditions.
  • The spatial frequency doubled illusion is a phenomenon related to visual sampling.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of spatial aliasing in visual perception.
  • To determine the properties of the underlying retinal sampling array.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of visual perception under conditions near the spatial frequency doubled illusion.
  • Estimation of the density of the underlying sampling array based on aliasing effects.

Main Results:

  • Visual percepts can be dominated by spatial aliasing.
  • The sampling array density is estimated to be 15-30% of M-cells, consistent with the proportion of Y-like M-cells (M(y)-cells).

Conclusions:

  • The presence of aliasing suggests a separate, irregular array of M(y)-cells.
  • M(y)-cells likely play a primary role in rapid retinal gain control, not image motion computation.

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