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Chromatic properties of neurons in macaque area V2

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 June 2009

Daniel C. Kiper,
Suzanne B. Fenstemaker and
Karl R. Gegenfurtner
Daniel C. Kiper
Affiliation:
Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York
Suzanne B. Fenstemaker
Affiliation:
Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York
Karl R. Gegenfurtner
Affiliation:
Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York
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Abstract

We recorded from single cells in area V2 of cynomolgus monkeys using standard acute recording techniques. After measuring each cell's spatial and temporal properties, we performed several tests of its chromatic properties using sine-wave gratings modulated around a mean gray background. Most cells behaved like neurons in area V1 and their responses were adequately described by a model that assumes a linear combination of cone signals. Unlike in V1, we found a subpopulation of cells whose activity was increased or inhibited by stimuli within a narrow range of color combinations. No particular color directions were preferentially represented. V2 cells showing color specificity, including cells showing narrow chromatic tuning, were present in any of the stripe compartments, as defined by cytochrome-oxidase (CO) staining. An addition of chromatic contrast facilitated the responses of most neurons to gratings with various luminance contrasts. Neurons in all three CO compartments gave significant responses to isoluminant gratings. Receptive-field properties of cells were generally similar for luminance and chromatically defined stimuli. We found only a small number of cells with a clearly identifiable double-opponent receptive-field organization.

Keywords

Visual cortexColorV2IsoluminanceMacaque

Information

Type
Research Articles
Information
Visual Neuroscience , Volume 14 , Issue 6 , November 1997, pp. 1061 - 1072
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1997

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