L-/M-cone opponency in visual evoked potentials of human cortex

Author(s)

Salgueiro Barboni, Mirella Telles ; Nagy, Balazs Vince ; Gomes Martins, Cristiane Maria ; Oliveria Bonci, Daniela Maria ; Hauzman, Einat ; Aher, Avinash ; Tsai, Tina I. ; Kremers, Jan ; Ventura, Dora Fix

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF VISION; v. 17, n. 9 AUG 2017.
• Web of Science Citations: 4

Abstract

L and M cones send their signals to the cortex using two chromatic (parvocellular and blue-yellow koniocellular) and one luminance (magnocellular) pathways. These pathways contain ON and OFF subpathways that respond to excitation increments and decrements respectively. Here, we report on visually evoked potentials (VEP) recordings that reflect L-and M-cone driven increment (L-I and M-I) and decrement (LD and MD) activity. VEP recordings were performed on 12 trichromats and four dichromats (two protanopes and two deuteranopes). We found that the responses to L-I strongly resembled those to M-D, and that L-D and M-I responses were very similar. Moreover, the lack of a photoreceptor type (L or M) in the dichromats led to a dominance of the ON pathway of the remaining photoreceptor type. These results provide electrophysiological evidence that antagonistic L/M signal processing, already present in the retina and the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), is also observed at the visual cortex. These data are in agreement with results from human psychophysics where M-I stimuli lead to a perceived brightness decrease whereas L-I stimuli resulted in perceived brightness increases. VEP recording is a noninvasive tool that can be easily and painlessly applied. We propose that the technique may provide information in the diagnosis of color vision deficiencies. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/06457-5 - Scientific instrumentation in vision research studies at the Vision Laboratory of IPUSP
• Grantee: Dora Selma Fix Ventura
• Support type: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• FAPESP's process: 14/25743-9 - Expression of opsins and melanopsins in snakes' retinas: molecular genetics and immunohistochemistry
• Grantee: Einat Hauzman
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 14/26818-2 - Development and implementation of visual evaluation methods: clinical applications and animal models
• Grantee: Dora Selma Fix Ventura
• Support type: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 16/04538-3 - Dystrophin and the human visual system: study of the visual phenotypes of Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients
• Grantee: Dora Selma Fix Ventura
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 16/22007-5 - Optimization of the visual functional ability in patients with macular diseases using visual training programs
• Grantee: Mirella Telles Salgueiro Barboni
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research