Conscious Perception of Color in Pseudo-“Blindsight”

Abstract

In this paper, we designed a new coil system for extremely low-frequency electromagnetic stimuli of 40 mT at 20 Hz and investigated an electromagnetic control of the human color perceptions on durations of complementary colors. Although reductions in the duration were found for all the retinal cone photoreceptor cells (short (S), medium, and long wave-sensitive cones), a distinct reduction with an order of degree of 12.5% was observed in S-cone input. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of the stimuli at the very limit of the threshold for a phosphene like blindsight on durations of complementary colors. The results showed the fact that even a comparatively weak stimulus of 10 mT is able to excite retinal cone photoreceptor cells, particularly, and affect blue-sensitive (S-cone) input. We propose the idea that electromagnetic stimuli at the very limit of the threshold for a phosphene like blindsight can develop into a peculiar condition to excite these cone-cell species and gradually activate synaptic plasticity.