Development of Vision in Infancy
The limited behavioral repertoire of the infant and the impossibility of instructing the test participant have made it necessary for vision scientists interested in human visual development to adapt the…
Visual Processing of Spatial Form
Introduction The preceding chapters have described how visual signals pass from the retina to the visual regions of the brain. In this chapter we discuss how processing of these signals…
The Effects of Visual Deprivation After Infancy
Introduction Over the last three decades it has been well documented that visual deprivation, especially when it occurs early in life, results in fundamental alterations of neural function across more…
Primary Visual Cortex
Overview In many ways, primary visual cortex can be thought of as our mind’s eye. It sits at a pivotal location in our visual system, such that losing primary visual…
Processing in the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus
The lateral geniculate nucleus: the gateway to conscious visual perception Located one synapse from the retina, the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of the thalamus is the main link between eye…
Visual Processing in the Inner Retina
The bulk of the retina’s computing hardware is located in the inner retina. Here, dozens of neural circuits allow the retina to detect subtle changes in brightness, contrast, color, and…
Development of Retinogeniculate Projections
Introduction The dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus (LGN) is the gateway through which visual information is transmitted from the retina to the cortex; therefore, conscious visual perception relies…
Extrastriate Visual Cortex
Introduction to the extrastriate cortex The goal in this chapter is to develop a basic understanding of the function of extrastriate cortex. This is a collection of brain regions concerned…
Color Vision
The ability to perceive color is a highly valued sensory capacity, and it has been a subject of experimental inquiry for over 200 years. Before the development of modern biological…
Regulation of Light Through the Pupil
The pupil is a dynamic aperture that regulates the entry of light destined for the retina. Its usefulness is illustrated by the fact that it is a relatively conserved structure…
