Two visual areas located in the middle suprasylvian gyrus (cytoarchitectonic field 7) of the cat's cortex

Abstract

Neuronal properties and topographic organization of the middle suprasylvian gyrus (cortical cytoarchitectonic field 7) were studied in three behaving cats with painlessly fixed heads. Two main neuronal types were found within this field. Type 1 neurons occupied the lateral part of the field and bordered representation of directionally selective neurons of the lateral suprasylvian visual area by vertical retinal meridian. Type 1 neurons had elongated and radially oriented receptive fields located in the lower part of contralateral visual field. Type 1 neurons preferred stimuli moving out or to the centre of gaze at a low or moderate speed, and many of them were depth selective. The responses were enhanced by attention, oriented to the presented stimulus. Medial part of the field 7 along the border with the area V3 was occupied by neurons with not elongated receptive fields (type 2). These neurons preferred moderate and high speeds of motion, and gratings of proper spatial frequency and orientation were effective stimuli for them. Border between representations of type 2 and type 1 neurons coincided with projection of horizontal retinal meridian. At the rostral and caudal borders of the field 7 abrupt changes of neuronal properties took place. Neurons which abutted field 7 anteriorly and posteriorly resembled hypercomplex cells and their small receptive fields were located in the central part of the visual field. Topographical considerations and receptive field properties allowed us to conclude that the medial part of the field 7 (included type 2 neurons) is functionally equivalent to the area V4 in the cortex of primates, while the lateral part (type 1 neurons) may correspond to the area V4T.