Contrast responses to bright slits of visual cells in the superior colliculus of the albino rat

Abstract

Contrast is the most effective stimulus in the visual system. The response of single cells to changes in stimulus contrast has been studied in a large variety of animals and the contrast response function determined. In the rat, studies on responses to contrast have been focused primarily in the geniculocortical pathway and there are relatively few in subcortical structures. We report here for the first time the contrast response function of single units located in the superior colliculus (SC) of the albino rat to several stimulus contrast. Cells in the SC require a relatively high contrast to elicit a reliable response and the dynamic response range is restricted to a short contrast interval.

Key Words:

• albino rat
• contrast
• superior colliculus