Visual disinhibition with binocular and interocular presentations.

Abstract

Subjects were given combinations of two and three brief concentric flashes of equal luminance under backward masking conditions. Intervals between the first (TF) and second (CF) flashes were 10, 20, 50, 75, 100, and 200 msec. When third flashes (DF) were present, they were separated from CF by the same intervals. Two modes of presentation were employed: binocular presentations in which all flashes were presented to both eyes and interocular presentations in which TF and CF were presented to the left eye and DF to the right. With binocular view, the backward masking of CF by DF resulted in the disinhibition of TF, otherwise masked by CF under two-flash conditions. Disinhibition was not obtained under interocular presentations. A major conclusion is that recurrent influences within the human retina are not preserved more centrally (retrochiasmally) in the visual system.