A spatio-temporal model of cat's retinal cells

Abstract

This paper presents a model of the spatiotemporal processes of simple ganglion cells of cat's retina. The model is based on the existence of two anatomical paths in the retina: a direct path, responsible for central excitatory effects, and a transversal path, responsible for peripherical inhibitory effects. Plausible spatial weighting functions and temporal transfer functions for photoreceptors, horizontal, bipolar and ganglion cell are introduced by prudent application of comparative neurophysiology. The response of the model to point light stimuli, moving light bars and sinusoidal gratings are obtained. They are in very good agreement with experimental data.