Intracortical facilitation among co-oriented, co-axially aligned simple cells in cat striate cortex (original) (raw)
Summary
Most neurons in cat striate visual cortex show inhibitory effects when moving contours are presented beyond the limits of classic receptive field regions. Facilitatory effects are also present in about 40% of simple cells. Here, we report a highly specific form of this facilitation, mediated only by neurons possessing both an orientation tuning matched to the test unit, and a receptive field position aligned with its long axis. This finding illustrates one of the intracortical interconnection schemes hypothesized by Mitchison and Crick (1982). Periodic clustering in long, intrinsic axons may signify a neuron seeking specific functional interactions like these across columnar systems in both the spatial and orientation domains.
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Author notes
- J. I. Nelson
Present address: Working Group in Biophysics, Dept. of Physics, Philipps University, Renthof 7, D-3550, Marburg, Federal Republic of Germany - B. J. Frost
Present address: Dept. of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston K7L 3N6, Ontario, Canada
Authors and Affiliations
- Department of Physiology, John Curtin School of Medical Research, 2601, Canberra, Australia
J. I. Nelson & B. J. Frost
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- J. I. Nelson
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Nelson, J.I., Frost, B.J. Intracortical facilitation among co-oriented, co-axially aligned simple cells in cat striate cortex.Exp Brain Res 61, 54–61 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00235620
- Received: 26 November 1984
- Accepted: 21 May 1985
- Issue Date: December 1985
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00235620