Abstract
The effects of haloperidol, nomifensine and lorazepam on the visual tilt illusion were studied in normal volunteers. Haloperidol and nomifensine produced no significant changes in the illusion, although in previous work they had been found to reduce and and enhance, respectively, a closely related illusion, the tilt aftereffect. By contrast, lorazepam produced a dose-related increment in the size of the tilt illusion, but had no effect on the tilt aftereffect. The results are discussed in relation to proposed mechanisms which may underlie the two kinds of illusion. The differential effects of individual drugs on the two illusions may reflect their differing actions on two processes: lateral inhibition and adaptation in visual channels.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abraham P, McCallum WC (1973) The CNV and the Spiral aftereffect. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol (Suppl) 33:205–208
Anstis SM (1975) What does visual perception tell us about visual coding? In: Blakemore C, Gazzinaga M (eds) Handbook of Psychobiology. Academic Press: New York
Blakemore C, Carpenter RHS, Georgeson MA (1970) Lateral inhibition between orientation detectors in the human visual system. Nature 228:37–39
Braddick O, Campbell FW, Atkinson J (1978) Channels in vision: basic aspects. In: Held R, Leibowitz HW, Teuber HL (eds) Handbook of sensory physiology, vol VIII. Springer: New York, Heidelberg, Berlin
Brogden RN, Heel RC, Speight TM, Avery GS (1979) Nomifensine: a review of its pharmacological properties and therapeutic efficacy in depressive illness. Drugs 18:1–24
Chapman J (1966) The early symptoms of schizophrenia. Br J Psychiatr 112:225–251
Claridge GS (1967) Personality and arousal. Pergamon, London
Crow TJ, Johnston EC, Deakin JFW, Longden A (1976) Dopamine and schizophrenia. Lancet ii:563–566
Dundee JW, Liburn JK, Toner W, Howard PJ (1978) Plasma lorazepam levels. Anaesthesia 33:15–19
Forsman A, Ohman R (1974) Some effects of the distribution and metabolism of haloperidol in man. In: Sedvall G, Uvnas B, Zotterman Y (eds) Anti-psychotic drugs: pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. Pergamon: Oxford
Frisby JP (1979) Seeing. Oxford: University Press
Harris JP, Phillipson OT, Watkins GM, Whelpton R (1983) Effects of chlorpromazine and promazine on the visual aftereffects of tilt and movement. Psychopharmacology 79:49–57
Harris JP, Gelbtuch MH, Phillipson OT (1986) Effects of haloperidol and nomifensine on the visual aftereffects of tilt and movement. Psychopharmacology 89:177–182
Harris MG (1982) Visual mechanisms of spatial and temporal coding. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Bristol
Iverson LL, Mitchell JF, Srinivasan V (1971) The release or γ-aminobutyric acid during inhibition in the cat visual cortex. J Physiol 212:519–534
McGhie A (1977) Attention and perception in schizophrenia. In: Maher BA (ed) Contributions to the psychopathology of schizophrenia. Academic Press, New York
Parker DM (1972) Contrast and size variables and the tilt aftereffect. Q J Exp Psychol 24:1–7
Phillipson OT, Harris JP (1985) Perceptual distortions in schizophrenia: a questionnaire survey. Psychol Med 15:859–866
Sillito AM (1979) Inhibitory mechanisms influencing complex cell orientation selectivity and their modification at high resting discharge levels. J Physiol 289:33–53
Somogyi P, Kisvarday ZF, Martin KAC, Whitteridge D (1983) Synaptic connections of morphologically identified and physiologically characterised large basket cells in the striate cortex of cat. Neuroscience 10:261–294
Tallman JF, Gallager DW (1985) The GABA-ergic system: a locus of benzodiazepine action. Ann Rev Neurosci 8:21–44
Tolhurst DJ, Thompson P (1975) Orientation illusions and aftereffects: inhibition between channels. Vision Res 15:967–972
Thompson P (1982) Perceived rate of movement depends on contrast. Vision Res 22:377–380
Troscianko TS (1977) Effect of subtense and surround luminance on the perception of a coloured field. Colour Research and Application 2:153–159
Wallace GK (1975) The effect of contrast on the Zollner illusion. Vision Res 15:963–966
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gelbtuch, M.H., Calvert, J.E., Harris, J.P. et al. Modification of visual orientation illusions by drugs which influence dopamine and GABA neurones: Differential effects on simultaneous and successive illusions. Psychopharmacology 90, 379–383 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00179195
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00179195