The Edridge-Green lecture vision at low light levels: role of spatial, temporal and contrast filters.
One of the most impressive features of our vision is the fact that we see with good sensitivity over such a large range of light levels. This process is usually termed light adaptation by which it is meant that the sensitivity of individual neurones within the retina automatically adapts to suit the prevailing lighting conditions. Although this is usually thought about in terms of single neurones, its effectiveness is greatly enhanced by the fact that individual neurones have distinctive properties. The fact that individual neurones can be considered as acting as neural filters along the dimensions of size, time, orientation and contrast means that visual information is distributed across the whole neuronal population which in turn plays an important role in extending our dynamic range. In this paper the distributed nature of visual processing is emphasized and its role in extending the range of light levels over which we can see is highlighted.
Hess
R F
RF
Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, UK.
D000221:Adaptation, Ocular; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000502:physiology; D005374:Filtration; D006801:Humans; D008029:Lighting; D010783:Photometry; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000502:physiology