Visual Field Stimulation Research Articles

Induced Roll Vection from Stimulation of the Central Visual Field

An important consideration for some types of flight simulation is that sufficient visual information be provided for a perception of self-motion. A general conclusion of earlier research is that peripheral stimulation (outside a 30 deg. diameter area of the central visual field) is necessary for perceived self-motion to occur. More recently Andersen and Braunstein (1985) demonstrated that induced self-motion could occur when visual information simulating forward motion of the observer was presented to a limited area of the central visual field. In the present study, the perception of induced roll vection (rotation about the line of sight) from visual stimulation of the central visual field was examined. Subjects viewed computer generated displays that simulated observer motion relative to a volume of randomly positioned points. Two variables were examined: 1) the presence or absence of a simulated forward motion, and 2) the presence of a 15 deg. or 30 deg. sinusoidal roll motion. It was found that: 1) induced roll vection occurred with stimulation restricted to a 10 deg. diameter area of the central visual field; 2) greater postural instability occurred for displays with a 30 deg. roll as compared to a 15 deg. roll; and 3) significantly greater postural instability occurred along the X-axis (left/right) as compared to the Y-axis (front/back). The implications of this research for flight simulation will be discussed.

Naming Reaction Times to Tachistoscopically Presented Pictures: Some Evidence of Right Hemisphere Encoding

The present study measured naming reaction times by normal subjects to unilaterally presented picture stimuli. Significant differences in picture-naming reaction time did not exist between left and right visual-field stimulations. The right hemisphere in the intact brain is capable of generating a verbal label for pictured stimuli. A psychological model suggests that a possible processing synergy between the two hemispheres may be tied to spatial processing and elementary linguistics.

The effects of progressive sleep loss on a lexical decision task: Response lapses and response accuracy

A lexical decision task was used in a paradigm testing the effects of sleep loss and fatigue on performance during a 72-h period of sleep deprivation. The data were partitioned into categories of response lapses, response accuracy, and the signal detection measures of discriminability (d’) and bias (β). Response lapses increased as a function of sleep loss and were fitted best by a composite equation with a major linear component and a minor rhythmic component. Response accuracy decreased as a function of sleep loss, with the rate of decrease being greater for nonwords than for words. Although d’ was higher for right visual field (RVF), it decreased for both fields almost linearly as a function of sleep deprivation. The rate of decrease for RVF stimulation was greater than for left visual field (LVF) stimulation, β did not change monotonically as a function of sleep loss, but showed strong circadian rhythmicity, indicating that it was not differentially affected by sleep loss per se.

Manipulation reach and visual reach neurons in the inferior parietal lobule of the rhesus monkey

The characteristics of inferior parietal lobule (IPL) ‘reach cell’ responses were studied in the fixating monkey in order to obtain a clue to the function of this area in manipulative behavior. Two subclasses of reach neurons, one showing visual receptive field sensitivity, the other lacking such responsiveness are proposed as correlates of two types of reach behavior, one that takes place with, the other without visual guidance, respectively. Neuronal firing increment and/or firing decrement responses, stimulus-bound to reach behavior were obtained from either type of cell. These were presented as equivalent modes of signal encoding, on the basis of the transformability of neuronal firing increment to firing decrement response as a result of preconditioning stimulation of the oral pulvinar nucleus. Many of the responses obtained were bimodal and some were biphasic, i.e. consisting of incremental and decremental firing phases. As each such component was independently modifiable, they were regarded different signal entities. The multicomponental nature of the visual reach neuronal response was manifested when the reaching movement was into the receptive field of the neuron. Responses consisted then of an initial component, presumably visual, prefixed to a response component stimulus-bound to the reach-invoking stimuli. The early component occupied the same position as the visual response of the cell obtained with visual receptive field stimulation alone. Moreover, the early component could be negated by preconditioning stimulation of the LP and/or pulvinar targets, and then the residual response simulated the response of a non-visual reach neuron. In addition, mean latencies of the visual reach neurons were shorter, i.e. 147 ± 32 ms as compared to 203 ± 62 ms of the non-visual reach cells. Observations made here clearly indicate the participation in a rather unique way of the LP and pulvinar posterior thalamic nuclei in IPL reach function.

Combined effects of noise, vibration and visual field stimulation on electrical brain activity and optomotor responses

Eye movements and electroencephalographs (EEG) were recorded in intact rabbits during an optokinetic test. The animals were exposed to pure tone noise (85 dB at 4000 Hz), impulse noise (159 dB), and vibration directed at the abdomen (amplitude 0.9 mm at frequencies of 40, 80, and 120 Hz). The velocity of optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) significantly increased with these stimuli. The increase seen with vibration was greater than the noise-induced increase. The response was strongest when noise and vibration were combined. The increase in OKN induced by vibration was successive and dependent on frequency. The increase was weakest during exposure to vibration at 40 Hz and strongest at 120 Hz. EEGs of the dorsal hippocampus, amygdaloid complex, midbrain reticular formation, and frontal motor cortex were all activated during noise and vibration exposure, but activation of the hippocampal EEG was the most closely related to the increase in OKN. Combination of the different stimuli indicated that their interaction could not be predicted on the basis of responses to single stimuli, and, in most cases, the result was indifference due to the high alerting effect of vibration alone. The findings can be related to the non-specific dizziness found in aerospace workers exposed to excessive noise and vibration.

Induced self-motion in central vision.

Previous research on visually induced self-motion found that stimulation of the central visual field (up to 30 degrees in diameter) results in perceived object motion while self-motion requires peripheral stimulation. In the present study, perceived self-motion was induced with a radially expanding pattern simulating observer motion through a space filled with dots, with visual angles of 7.5 degrees, 10.6 degrees, 15 degrees, and 21.2 degrees. Speed and texture density were also varied. The duration of reported self-motion (a) decreased with increased speed, (b) failed to increase with increased visual angle, and (c) decreased with visual angle at the highest speed level. In a second experiment, subjects rated the perceived depth of the displays. The speed and speed/area interaction effects on judged depth matched those found for induced self-motion. These results suggest an extension of the focal/ambient theory: In addition to a more primitive ambient processing mode that requires peripheral vision, there is a higher level system concerned with ambient processing that functions in the central visual field and uses more complex stimulus information, such as internal depth represented in a radially expanding pattern.

Contraction Anisocoria Resulting From Half-Field Illumination

We recorded pupillary responses to alternating half-field visual stimuli in 13 normal subjects (eight men and five women ranging in age from 23 to 28 years). We found that stimulation of the temporal visual field caused more pupillary constriction than did equivalent stimulation of the nasal field. Temporal stimuli also produced a direct pupillary response that was larger than the consensual response. Nasal stimulation, however, elicited a larger consensual pupillary response than a direct response. Our findings imply an asymmetric decussation of pupillomotor pathways in the midbrain in humans, as well as greater sensitivity of the nasal retina.

Laminar interactions during neocortical epileptogenesis

Interactions among laminar subpopulations of cat striate cortical neurons were assessed during the evolution of discrete and temporary epileptic foci, which were induced by selective microinjection of penicillin into different cortical layers. Field potentials and multiunit cellular discharges, evoked by selective visual field stimulation, were recorded simultaneously from 3 layers by multibarreled glass microelectrodes. Laminar response profiles at distinct stages of epileptogenesis were characterized for foci induced in superficial pyramidal, middle stellate, and deep pyramidal layers. Layer 4 was verified to be the most susceptible to epileptogenesis. Penicillin's action within this stellate layer appeared to be sufficient for epileptogenesis and was supportative of, if not necessary for, the development of foci originating in pyramidal cell layers. These findings could not be fully appreciated by monitoring only spontaneous interictal spike potentials. Of the two types of neuronal discharge routinely observed, early latency bursting was principally a characteristic of layer 4 stellate populations, whereas longer-latency bursts comparable to paroxysmal depolarization shifts were recorded equally well from both stellate and pyramidal layers. Epileptiform alterations in both field potential and unit responses were quickly evident in cortical laminae having known anatomic connections with the layer where the focus was induced: e.g. in layers 2–3 with layer 4 foci, in layers 5–6 with layers 2–3 foci, and in layer 4 with layers 5–6 foci. The spread of epileptogenesis was slower between laminae where pathways are purported to be less well developed, and appeared to be principally dependent upon the diffusion of penicillin.

Hemispheric asymmetry and sex differences in a comparative judgement task.

Visual field differences and sex differences in a complex semantic processing task were examined. Two different print size Kana words which represented concrete objects were paired and displayed tachistoscopically to the left or the right visual field. Subjects decided if the relationship of the print size and real life size of the word pairs was appropriate or not by pressing a key. Results revealed that female subjects showed faster reaction times to the right visual field stimulation while males showed a tendency toward a left visual field superiority. Possible hemisphere difference in mechanisms between the sexes were discussed.

Simple reaction times to lateralized visual stimuli in a case of callosal agenesis

Simple reaction times (RTs) of a young acallosal woman were measured, using three different intensity levels of the visual stimulus. It was found that “crossed” stimulus/hand combinations yielded finger RTs about 20 msec longer, on average, than “uncrossed” combinations. In addition, an inverse relation was found between stimulus intensity and the magnitude of this crossed/uncrossed difference in RT. It was also found that vocal RTs displayed a large advantage (18 msec) for right visual-field stimulation. It is suggested that the stimulus information in crossed finger reactions must cross the midline through visually-coded neurones in the acallosal brain.

Potentiels evoques visuels par flash damier et enregistres chez des sujets temoins

Visual evoked responses to flash pattern simulations have been observed in young healthy adults. Stimulations of whole visual fields (37 subjects) and half-fields (11 subjects) have been performed. These responses are reproductible from one subject to another and show very clear waves in the occipital and central regions. On central leads, whatever the stimulation (stimulation of total visual fields or half-fields), the responses are always the same: a negative peak at 70 msec. followed by a positive peak at 90 msec, then a negative peak at 116-120 msec. On occipital leads, stimulation of the whole visual field shows a diphasic response: a positive wave at 100 msec and a negative wave at 140-150 msec. However, half-field stimulation shows different responses on the ipsi- and contralateral hemispheres, with a disappearance of the positive 100 msec wave in the ipsilateral occipital region. Thus, flash pattern stimulations seem to be useful in clinical practice because they evoke different types of responses in occipital and central regions.

Visual field sensitivity on a two-choice discrimination task.

A signal-detection analysis was used to evaluate visual-field sensitivity on a two-choice (same/different) discrimination task. Pairs of unfamiliar geometrical forms were presented tachistoscopically to the right or left visual fields of 12 subjects. Of 12 subjects 11 obtained left visual-field values which exceeded those of the right. The data suggested that the superiority of stimulation of the left visual field resulted from greater sensitivity to “same” figure pairs.

Grammatical Decision Time and Visual Hemifield Stimulation

An experiment was performed to study grammatical decision time to three-letter Hebrew verbs and nouns presented to the right or to the left visual hemifield. Decision time was measured by the subject's manual response involving the movement of the index finger from the middle one of three electronic contact keys, to the right key to indicate the appearance of a verb, and to the left key to indicate the appearance of a noun. A comparison was also made of two response conditions, right hand responding versus left hand responding. The results indicate a greater number of errors in responding to verbs than to nouns, but no difference in accuracy between right visual field (RVF) stimulation and left visual field (LVF), stimulation. In contrast, the results indicate that grammatical decision time to Hebrew verbs is shorter than to nouns for all conditions of stimulation and response. Decision time to verbs appearing in the right visual field (RVF) is shorter than to verbs appearing in the left visual field (LVF). Consequently, the difference in decision time between verbs and nouns is greater for RVF stimulation than for LVF stimulation. There is no difference in decision time for stimulation of the RVF or LVF by nouns. Responding hand also does not affect grammatical decision time to either verbs or nouns in either RVF or LVF stimulation.

Effect of altered central and peripheral visual field stimulation on correct recognition and visual evoked response.

Hemispheric asymmetry was assessed using combined electrophysiological (visual evoked response) and behavioral (percentage-correct-recognition) techniques. Right-handed, right-eyed, male undergraduates who viewed tachistoscopically exposed CVCs and random shapes in both central and peripheral visual fields were scored for their ability to recognize the stimuli correctly. Latency and amplitude of visual evoked responses were compared with correct recognition. Central and peripheral stimuli produced significant results. Superiority of the left hemisphere for verbal stimulus processing was supported. Small but consistent positive peak latencies of visual evoked responses also indicated language specialization of the left lobe. Results were interpreted as supporting hemispheric functional asymmetry. Additional findings of "cognitive masking" and marked reduction in intersubject variance in postive peak latencies of visual evoked responses by a central stimulus occurring at approximately 300 msec were also obtained. Mechanisms of iconic image storage, neuropsychological attentional theories, and differential hemispheric structural organization were discussed in interpreting results.

Visual receptive-field properties of single neurons in cat's ventral lateral geniculate nucleus.

1. Visual receptive-field characteristics were determined for 154 cells in the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (VLG) of cats anesthetized with nitrous oxide. All cells were verified histologically to be within the VLG. Responses of 182 cells from laminae A and A1 of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (DLG) were tested for comparison. 2. The VLG cells could be grouped into one of seven classes according to their responses to light stimulation. Twenty-seven percent of the cells had uniform receptive fields. They responded maximally to stationary stimuli flashed on or off anywhere within the receptive field and showed no evidence for antagonistic surround mechanisms. About 19.5% of the VLG cells had concentric receptive fields. They were similar to the uniform type, with the addition of a concentric inhibitory surround. Eight percent of the VLG cells had ambient receptive fields. These cells were characterized by an unusually regular maintained discharge which varied in rate in relation to the level of receptive-field illumination or of full-field ambient illumination. About 4% of the VLG cells were movement sensitive. They gave little or no response to stationary stimuli flashed on or off in the receptive field, and responded best to a contour moving across the receptive field in any direction. An additional 2.5% of the VLG cells were direction sensitive. Their response was dependent on the direction of stimulus movement through the receptive field. Sixteen percent of the VLG cells had indefinite receptive fields. They responded to whole-eye illumination or to localized visual-field stimulation; however, specific receptive-field properties could not be adequately defined. Approximately 23% of the VLG cells studied gave no convincing response to visual stimulation. 3. Responses of DLG cells agreed with those reported in previous studies. Almost all (97%) had concentric receptive fields, and a few (3%) had uniform receptive fields with no apparent antagonistic surround. None of the DLG cells had receptive fields like those in the other classes found for VLG cells. 4. The VLG cells tended to have large receptive fields; mean diameter was 10.6 degrees of visual arc. This was substantially larger than the diameter of receptive fields for DLG cells. In addition, VLG cells generally required larger stimuli than DLG cells to respond. There was no consistent relationship between receptive-field size and visual-field eccentricity for VLG cells, in contrast to the DLG. Most (57%) VLG cells were driven only by the contralateral eye, 30% were binocularly driven, and 13% were driven only by the ipsilateral eye. 5. A systematic visuotopic organization was present in the VLG. The lower visual field was represented anteriorly in the nucleus and the upper visual field posteriorly. The vertical meridian was represented along the dorsomedial border of the VLG where it abuts the DLG, and the temporal periphery was represented ventrolaterally. 6. Responses to electrical stimulation of the optic chiasm were studied for 55 VLG cells...

Selective regulation of thalamic sensory relay nuclei by nucleus reticularis thalami

Stimulation in the segment of nucleus reticularis thalami adjacent to the lateral geniculate body (R LG), abolished visual evoked potentials for up to 150 msec. Both photic stimulation in the contralateral visual field and electric stimulation in the ipsilateral optic tract elicited primary cortical responses that were markedly reduced or abolished by prior conditioning stimulation in R LG. Stimulation of the segments of nucleus reticularis thalami adjacent to the medial geniculate (R MG) or the ventrobasal complex (R VBC) had the effect of markedly reducing or abolishing unilaterally projected primary evoked responses in the auditory and cutaneous systems, respectively. Only the sensory evoked potentials mediated by the relay nucleus adjacent to the region of R stimulated were affected. The reduction of the cortical evoked potentials was not due to the processes underlying the cortical recovery cycle, because conditioning stimulation on either side of R LG stimulated the primary geniculocortical fibers, but had a minimal or no effect on the visual test evoked response. These results suggest that R functions as a topographically organized inhibitory gate which can regulate the patterns of sensory input from the thalamus to the cortex. The regulatory effects on R by the mesencephalic reticular formation and the mediothalamic-frontocortical system may mediate both generalized and selective control of cortical sensory evoked potentials.

Evoked cortical potentials: relation to hand dominance and eye dominance.

The amplitude and symmetry of right- and left-occipital lobe evoked potentials (EPs) to right and left visual-field stimulation were studied as a function of hand and eye dominance in female Ss. For all Ss, right-lobe EP amplitudes were greater than left-lobe during left visual-field, but not right visual-field, stimulation. Left-eyed Ss had significantly greater EP amplitudes than right-eyed Ss. Comparing this study with previous ones suggests a sex difference in the relationship of handedness to right lobe-left lobe asymmetry.

Human electroretinogram near the absolute theshold of vision.

With total visual field stimulation and the aid of a computer of average transients, the ERG can be recorded with stimulus intensities approaching the absolute visual threshold. At these low intensities, the predominant feature of the ERG is a corneal negative potential. .raditional studies of the animal and human electroretinogram (ERG) indicate that the stimulus intensity necessary to evoke a minimal ERG from the dark adapted retina is well above the absolute threshold of vision; these studies also show that the ERG response at threshold consists of the b-wave only, and the a-wave appears at suprathreshold intensities.

Spatial and chromatic interactions in the lateral geniculate body of the rhesus monkey.

Spatial and chromatic interactions in the lateral geniculate body of the rhesus monkey.