Global form perception in cats early deprived of pattern vision.
Recently, we showed that binocularly deprived cats are not able to detect global motion in a random dot pattern (Burnat et al., 2002). Here, we examined, in these animals, a global form discrimination task, that is, distinction of a square from a rectangle, matched for total surface. In contrast to the previously tested motion task, binocularly-deprived cats, as compared with controls, performed only at higher thresholds. Interestingly, the increase of the stimuli's surface, or a shift from horizontal to vertical orientation of the rectangle, significantly impaired their performance. We therefore conclude that binocularly-deprived cats do not attend to the global form of the stimuli. Instead, they spontaneously choose a local cue to discriminate and are not able to modify it.
Burnat
Kalina
K
Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. k.burnat@nencki.gov.pl
Stiers
Peter
P
Arckens
Lutgarde
L
Vandenbussche
Erik
E
Zernicki
Bogusław
B
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012683:Sensory Deprivation; D015348:Vision, Binocular / Q000502:physiology*; D015349:Vision, Monocular / Q000502:physiology*