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Primate retina trades single-photon detection for high-fidelity contrast encoding

Author

Listed:
  • Markku Kilpeläinen

    (University of Helsinki
    University of Helsinki)

  • Johan Westö

    (Aalto University)

  • Jussi Tiihonen

    (University of Helsinki
    Aalto University)

  • Anton Laihi

    (University of Helsinki)

  • Daisuke Takeshita

    (University of Helsinki)

  • Fred Rieke

    (University of Washington)

  • Petri Ala-Laurila

    (University of Helsinki
    Aalto University)

Abstract

How the spike output of the retina enables human visual perception is not fully understood. Here, we address this at the sensitivity limit of vision by correlating human visual perception with the spike outputs of primate ON and OFF parasol (magnocellular) retinal ganglion cells in tightly matching stimulus conditions. We show that human vision at its ultimate sensitivity limit depends on the spike output of the ON but not the OFF retinal pathway. Consequently, nonlinear signal processing in the retinal ON pathway precludes perceptual detection of single photons in darkness but enables quantal-resolution discrimination of differences in light intensity.

Suggested Citation

  • Markku Kilpeläinen & Johan Westö & Jussi Tiihonen & Anton Laihi & Daisuke Takeshita & Fred Rieke & Petri Ala-Laurila, 2024. "Primate retina trades single-photon detection for high-fidelity contrast encoding," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-48750-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48750-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Joshua Hahn & Aboozar Monavarfeshani & Mu Qiao & Allison H. Kao & Yvonne Kölsch & Ayush Kumar & Vincent P. Kunze & Ashley M. Rasys & Rose Richardson & Joseph B. Wekselblatt & Herwig Baier & Robert J. , 2023. "Evolution of neuronal cell classes and types in the vertebrate retina," Nature, Nature, vol. 624(7991), pages 415-424, December.
    2. Jonathan N. Tinsley & Maxim I. Molodtsov & Robert Prevedel & David Wartmann & Jofre Espigulé-Pons & Mattias Lauwers & Alipasha Vaziri, 2016. "Direct detection of a single photon by humans," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-9, November.
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