Oscillatory activity in the optic tract of cat and light adaptation.

Abstract

Population responses and single fiber discharges were recorded from the optic tract of cat at the optic chiasm. The oscillatory response of the dark adapted retina was enhanced by repetitive flash stimulation and exposure to sustained light. The oscillations of the population response were represented at the unitary level by grouped discharges and unit grouping was also enhanced by repetitive stimulation and exposure to sustained light, paralleling alterations of the population response. These data suggested that the retinal mechanism producing high frequency cyclical facilitation-inhibition of ganglion cell discharge is related to a process of neural-light adaptation and may also be a function of cone-system activity.