title: Contrast sensitivity and visual acuity of the pigmented rat determined electrophysiologically.
abstract: The contrast sensitivity function of the rat was assessed by investigating the relationship between the amplitude of visually evoked cortical potentials (VECP) and the spatial frequency and contrast of grating stimuli. Pattern reversal VECPs were recorded in Area 17 in the region of representation of the central binocular visual field. Transient responses were obtained with a 1 Hz contrast reversal. The mean contralateral monocular CSF peaked around 0.1 c/deg, with a threshold sensitivity of 20-25, low frequency attenuation and a high frequency cut-off of 1.18 c/deg. The mean binocular CSF showed a cut-off of 1.20 c/deg, which matches several behavioural measurements of visual acuity. The greater binocular sensitivity in the low frequency range (0.04 c/deg) could be tentatively attributed to the greater influence of the population of large ganglion cells that reaches its maximal density in the ipsilateral projection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Heywood
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cowey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D013181:Cortical Spreading Depression / Q000187:drug effects; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual; D005133:Eye Movements; D005556:Form Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009184:Mydriatics / Q000494:pharmacology; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D011680:Pupil / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D009184:Mydriatics; D011189:Potassium Chloride