A New Concept for the Contribution of Retinal Colour-opponent Ganglion Cells to Hue Discrimination and Colour Constancy: The Zero Signal Dectector

  • E. Zrenner
Chapter
Part of the Wenner-Gren Center International Symposium Series book series (WGS)

Abstract

It is still not well understood which neuronal mechanisms are responsible for the large variety of colours we can discern in our visual space under various conditions of illumination. The recordings from a few hundred retinal neurons do not permit to explain or even to speculate reasonably on the neuronal basis of colour perceptions; the neurophysiological link is still missing, although recent investigations give reason to hope (Livingstone and Hubel, 1984). However, it is certainly possible to go the reverse way, that is to look out within perceptive phenomena for the action of neuronal mechanisms observed in individual retinal cells, which beyond any doubt contribute to building up these perceptions.

Keywords

Ganglion Cell Retinal Ganglion Cell Neutral Point Colour Constancy Spectral Locus 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Akita, M., Graham, CH. and Hsia, Y. (1964). Maintaining an absolute hue in the presence of different background colors. Vision Res. 4, 539–556.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Gouras, P. and Zrenner, E. (1979). Enhancement of luminance flicker by color-opponent mechanisms. Science 205, 587–589.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  3. Gouras, P. and Zrenner, E. (1981). Color vision: A review from a neurophysiological perspective. In Progress in sensory physiology vol. I. (eds. H. Autrum, D. Ottoson, E.R. Pearl and R.F. Schmidt). Springer, Heidelberg, pp. 139–179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. Helmholtz von, H.L.F. (1866). Handbuch der physiologischen Optik, vol. II. Voss, Leipzig.Google Scholar
  5. Helmholtz von, H.L.F. (1911). Handbuch der physiologischen Optik, vol. II. Voss, Leipzig.Google Scholar
  6. Helson, H. (1938) Fundamental problems in color vision. I. The principle governing changes in hue, saturation and lightness of non-selective samples in chromatic illumination. J. exper. Psychol. 23, 439–476.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. Helson, H. and Michels, W.C. (1948). The effect of chromatic adaptation and achromaticity. J. opt. Soc. Amer. 38, 1025–1032.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. Judd, D.B. (1940). Hue, saturation, and lightness of surface colors with chromatic illumination. J. opt. Soc. Amer. 30, 2–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. Livingstone, M. S. and Hubel, D.H. (1984). Anatomy and physiology of a color system in the primate visual cortex. J. Neurose. 4, 309–356Google Scholar
  10. Sperling, H.G. and Harwerth, R.S. (1971). Red-green cone interactions in the increment-threshold spectral sensitivity of primates. Science 172, 180–184.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. Wienrich, M. and Zrenner, E. (1984). Cone mechanisms and their colour-opponent interaction in monkey and cat. Ophthalmic Res. 16, 40–47.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. Wiesel, T.N. and Hubel, D.H. (1966). Spatial and chromatic interactions in the lateral geniculate body of the rhesus monkey. J. Neurophysiol. 29, 1115–1156.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  13. Zeki, S. (1980). The representation of colours in the cerebral cortex. Nature 284, 412–418.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. Zrenner, E. (1983a). Neurophysiological aspects of color vision in primates. Springer, Berlin.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. Zrenner, E. (1983b). Neurophysiological aspects of colour vision mechanisms in the primate retina. In Colour vision: Physiology and psychophysics. (eds. J.D. Mollon and L.T. Sharpe). Academic Press, London, pp. 195–210.Google Scholar
  16. Zrenner, E. and Gouras, P. (1978). Retinal ganglion cells lose color opponency at high flicker rates. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. (ARVO-Suppl.) 17, 130.Google Scholar
  17. Zrenner, E. and Gouras, P. (1981). Characteristics of the blue sensitive cone mechanism in primate retinal ganglion cells. Vision Res. 21, 1605–1609.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. Zrenner, E. and Gouras, P. (1983). Cone opponency in tonic ganglion cells and its variation with eccentricity in rhesus monkey retina. In Colour vision: Physiology and psychophysics. (eds. J.D. Mollon and L.T. Sharpe). Academic Press, London, pp. 211–223.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© The Wenner-Gren Center 1985

Authors and Affiliations

  • E. Zrenner
    • 1
  1. 1.Max-Planck-Institute for Physiological and Clinical ResearchBad NauheimGerman Federal Republic

Personalised recommendations