Journal of Neurophysiology, Vol 47, Issue 2 193-213, Copyright © 1982 by APS

ARTICLES

Is there a high concentration of color-selective cells in area V4 of monkey visual cortex?

S. J. Schein, R. T. Marrocco and F. M. de Monasterio

1. Recordings were made from neurons located within the central-field representation of the V4 area of extrastriate visual cortex using a semichronic, nitrous-oxide preparation; the properties of 174 cells were examined in sufficient detail to permit their classification. Cyto- and myeloarchitectural studies confirmed the identification of the area. 2. Color-selective cells with either color-biased or color-opponent properties represented about 20% of the examined population. Their incidence was not significantly different from that of similar cells encountered in penetrations into the central-field representation of area V2. 3. Most color-selective cells had color-biased properties, responding best to wave-lengths shorter than 460 nm, or longer than 580 n, or both. No examples of "green-biased" cells were found. Some color-biased cells responded to photopically matched white light, while others did not. Very few cells showed overt color-opponent responses. The spectral sensitivity of color-selective cells was not unusually narrow. 4. Cells lacking color selectivity and responding equally well to chromatic and achromatic lights of equal photopic luminosity, were the most commonly encountered cell type in penetrations of different parts of the V4 area (56%). Other than color, these cells showed stimulus preferences like those of color-selective cells. 5. One-fourth of V4 cells could not be systematically driven with the various stimuli used. This finding is consistent with recent results of recordings from the prelunate gyrus of the behaving monkey suggesting that some V4 cells receive extraretinal signals. 6. Our results do not support recent claims that V4 is specialized in the detailed analysis of color information.

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