title: Binocular neurons in the nucleus lentiformis mesencephali in pigeons: responses to translational and rotational optic flowfields.
abstract: The pretectal nucleus lentiformis mesencephali (LM) receives direct input from the contralateral retina and is dedicated to the analysis of optic flowfields resulting from self-motion. The activity of 126 LM neurons in response to optic flow stimuli was recorded. As with previous studies, it was found that most neurons (approximately 90%) exhibited direction-selectivity to large-field stimuli moving in the contralateral hemifield. However, some neurons (approximately 10%) responded to stimulation of both eyes and had receptive field structures conducive for detection of particular patterns of optic flow resulting from either self-translation or self-rotation. These binocular neurons were maximally responsive to panoramic optic flowfields simulating either translational or rotational optic flow.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Division of Neuroscience, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2E9, Alberta, Canada. dwlie@ualberta.ca
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Wylie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D010856:Columbidae / Q000502:physiology*; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D009039:Motion Perception / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012399:Rotation; D015348:Vision, Binocular / Q000502:physiology*; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*