[The characteristics of the color perceptive space in protanomals]

Color vision of three protanomal subjects was studied by means of direct paired comparison technique using 25 colors with different brightness. It was shown that the characteristics of their color vision could be completely and adequately described in the frames of the four-dimensional spherical model of color perception. The spatial axes could be identified as the two color-opponent mechanisms (red-green and blue-yellow) and the two achromatic mechanisms (brightness and darkness). Deformation of the color axes in protanomals (as compared with the normal trichromatics) was demonstrated in the "red" and "yellow" spectral region. The visual disturbance in protanomal subjects involves not only color but also achromatic mechanisms. This is manifested in the a deformation of perceptual brightness scale. In comparison with normal trichromatic subjects, the protanomals perceive the red and adjacent colors as achromatic while green, yellow-green, and orange as more bright but low-saturated colors.