Non-linear temporal summation by simple cells in cat striate cortex demonstrated by failure of superposition

Summary

Simple cells in area 17 of the anaesthetized, paralysed cat were stimulated with stationary sinusoidal gratings whose contrast was temporally modulated in different ways. The response to a temporal waveform which was the sum of two sinusoids (1.25 Hz and 7.75 Hz) was compared with the responses elicited by each component when presented alone. The responses to the high temporal frequency in the compound stimulus were relatively enhanced by the addition of the low temporal frequency; those to the low frequency were relatively depressed.