title: Direction selectivity of simple cells in the primary visual cortex: comparison of two alternative mathematical models. I: response to drifting gratings.
abstract: Two models of a single hypercolumn in the primary visual cortex are presented, and used for the analysis of direction selectivity in simple cells. The two models differ as to the arrangement of inhibitory connections: in the first ("antiphase model") inhibition is in phase opposition with excitation, but with a similar orientation tuning; in the second ("in-phase model"), inhibition is in phase with excitation, but with broader orientation tuning. Simulation results, performed by using drifting gratings with different orientations, and different spatial and temporal frequencies, show that both models are able to explain the origin of direction preference of simple cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronics, Computer Science, and Systems, University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy. mursino@deis.unibo.it
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ursino
authors.forename: Giuseppe-Emiliano
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: La Cara
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ritrovato
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007395:Interneurons / Q000502:physiology; D008959:Models, Neurological; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009039:Motion Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology; D016011:Normal Distribution; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology*; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000166:cytology; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000166:cytology*; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000166:cytology