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A model for the temporal organization of X- and Y-type receptive fields in the primate retina

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Abstract

A model is proposed for the temporal characteristics of X-and Y-type responses of ganglion cells in the primate retina. The main suggestions of the model are: (I) The X-type temporal response is determined primarily by the delay between center and surround contributions. (II) The Y-type response is generated in the inner plexiform layer by a derivativelike operation on the bipolar cell's input, followed by a rectification in the convergence of these inputs onto the Y-ganglion-cell. (III) The derivative-like operation is obtained by recurrent inhibition in the dyad synaptic structure.

The X-and Y-type responses predicted by the model, for a variety of stimuli, were examined and compared with available electrophysiological recordings. Finally, certain predictions derived from the model are discussed.

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  1. Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 02139, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Jacob Richter & Shimon Ullman

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  1. Jacob Richter
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  2. Shimon Ullman
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Richter, J., Ullman, S. A model for the temporal organization of X- and Y-type receptive fields in the primate retina. Biol. Cybern. 43, 127–145 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00336975

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