Decreasing local stereopsis with increasing horizontal disparity, indicating decreasing density of binocular cortical projection towards the limits of Panum's area (author's transl)

Abstract

Measuring local stereopsis by means of random dot stereograms with increasing horizontal disparity, the relative density of binocular cortical projection has been determined at a distance of 75 min of arc from the fovea. The accuracy of stereoscopic perception decreased with increasing horizontal disparity. The reciprocal value of the error frequency was used to measure the density of binocular cortical projection. Panum's area at the above mentioned distance from the fovea can be constructed by plotting the error frequency against the horizontal disparity. We observed a decrease of the relative density of binocular cortical projection towards the limits of Panum's area without a sharp break. The results are in agreement with those reported by Bishop and Henry and Joshua in the cat (receptive field disparity). The theory of stereopsis as proposed by Bishop explains our findings well and may be transferred to binocular vision in man.