Properties of stimulus-dependent synchrony in retinal ganglion cells.
Neighboring retinal ganglion cells often spike synchronously, but the possible function and mechanism of this synchrony is unclear. Recently, the strength of the fast correlation between ON-OFF directionally selective cells of the rabbit retina was shown to be stimulus dependent. Here, we extend that study, investigating stimulus-dependent correlation among multiple ganglion-cell classes, using multi-electrode recordings. Our results generalized those for directionally selective cells. All cell pairs exhibiting significant spike synchrony did it for an extended edge but rarely for full-field stimuli. The strength of this synchrony did not depend on the amplitude of the response and correlations could be present even when the cells' receptive fields did not overlap. In addition, correlations tended to be orientation selective in a manner predictable by the relative positions of the receptive fields. Finally, extended edges and full-field stimuli produced significantly greater and smaller correlations than predicted by chance respectively. We propose an amacrine-network model for the enhancement and depression of correlation. Such an apparently purposeful control of correlation adds evidence for retinal synchrony playing a functional role in vision.
Chatterjee
Susmita
S
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-1111, USA.
Merwine
David K
DK
Amthor
Franklin R
FR
Grzywacz
Norberto M
NM
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D004143:Dioctyl Sulfosuccinic Acid; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005123:Eye; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology; D020113:Phenolphthalein; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011817:Rabbits; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*; D014795:Visual Pathways
D004338:Drug Combinations; D004143:Dioctyl Sulfosuccinic Acid; D020113:Phenolphthalein; C038509:docusate sodium mixt. with phenolphtalein