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Spatial frequency of the human short-wavelength-sensitive (blue) cone mechanism

Psychophysical studies and pattern-reversal visual evoked potentials

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Abstract

The interactions of spatial and chromatic processing of the short-wavelength-sensitive cone mechanism were studied in humans with patterned (checkerboard) stimuli of various spatial frequency (10, 22, 44, and 85 min of arc respectively), under steady exposure to yellow light (575 nm, 390 cd/m2). Psychophysical studies and pattern-reversal visual evoked potentials were employed. Parameters of the transient pattern-reversal visual evoked potentials (pattern reversal rate of 2.4 s−1) especially observed were the latencies of P2 (P100) and N3 and the amplitude of P2-N3. It was only with the largest applicable check size (85 min of arc) that both the psychophysical studies and visual evoked potentials could succeed in satisfactorily isolating the short-wavelength-sensitive cone mechanism. Pattern-reversal visual evoked potential latencies are recommended in the evaluation of this cone mechanism because of their smaller variance and higher selectivity in isolating the short-wavelength-sensitive cone mechanism than the amplitude. The peak sensitivity of this cone mechanism was shown to be at about 449 nm at the corneal level. The short-wavelength sensitive cone mechanism represented the characteristics of low spatial resolution and long latencies of the pattern-reversal visual evoked potentials.

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Abbreviations

LERG:

luminance electroretinograms

LVEP:

luminance visual evoked potentials

LWS:

long-wavelength-sensitive

MWS:

medium-wavelength-sensitive

P-VEP:

pattern-reversal visual evoked potentials

SWS:

short-wavelength-sensitive

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck-Institute for Physiological and Clinical Research, D-6350, Bad Nauheim, Germany

    Li Du, Fang Shen &  Eberhard Dodt

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  1. Li Du
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  2. Fang Shen
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  3. Eberhard Dodt
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Du, L., Shen, F. & Dodt, E. Spatial frequency of the human short-wavelength-sensitive (blue) cone mechanism. Doc Ophthalmol 77, 165–183 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00161365

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