Skip to main content
Log in

Are non-directional simple cells constructed from directional subunits?

  • Published:
Biological Cybernetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Experiments by Schiller et al. have suggested that non-directional edge-specific simple cells are constructed from two directionally selective subunits with opposite preferred direction. This hierarchical notion was based on the fact that the responses of such units to edges moving in opposite directions are spatially displaced with respect to each other.

An alternative explanation of the observed response separation is the delay between the responses of the center and surround mechanisms at the retinal level. Measurements of the response separation as a function of stimulus speed support this explanation and argues against the hierarchical notion of Schiller et al.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Enroth-Cugell C, Robson JG (1966) The contrast sensitivity of retinal ganglion cells of the cat. J Physiol (London) 187:517–522

    Google Scholar 

  • Enroth-Cugell C, Robson JG, Schweitzer-Tong DE, Watson AB (1983) Spatio-Temporal interactions in cat retinal ganglion cells showing linear spatial summation. J Physiol 347:279–307

    Google Scholar 

  • Hubel DG, Wiesel TN (1962) Receptive fields, binocular interaction, and functional architecture in the cat's visual cortex. J Physiol (London) 160:106–154

    Google Scholar 

  • Hubel DH, Wiesel TN (1968) Receptive fields and functional architecture of monkey striate cortex. J Physiol, (London) 195:215–243

    Google Scholar 

  • Marr D, Hildreth E (1980) Theory of edge detection. Proc R Soc London, Ser B 207:187–217

    Google Scholar 

  • Marr D, Ullman S (1981) Directional selectivity and its use in early visual processing. Proc R London Ser B 211:151–180

    Google Scholar 

  • Poggio T (1983) Visual Algorithms. In: Braddick J, Sleigh AC (eds) Physical and biological processing of images. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York Tokyo

    Google Scholar 

  • Richter J, Ullman S (1982) A model for the spatio-temporal organization of X-and Y-type gangion cells in the primate. Biol Cybern 43:127–145

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodieck RW (1965) Quantitative analysis of cat retinal ganglion cell response to visual stimuli. Vision Res 5:583–601

    Google Scholar 

  • Schiller PH, Finley BL, Volman BL (1976) Quantitative studies of single cell properties in monkey striate cortex. I. Spatio temporal organization of receptive fields. J Neurophysiol 39:1288–1319

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Richter, J., Ullman, S. Are non-directional simple cells constructed from directional subunits?. Biol. Cybern. 54, 313–317 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00318427

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00318427

Keywords

Navigation