LE 7: Receptive Fields and Sensory Pathways

These flashcards cover key concepts from sensory neuroscience related to receptive fields and visual processing pathways.

Receptive Field

The pattern of stimulus information that leads to a response in a sensory neuron.

Sensory Neuron

A neuron that responds to external stimuli by emitting action potentials.

Retinal Ganglion Cell

A type of neuron in the retina that has a receptive field corresponding to a region of space sensitive to light.

Visual Cortex

The part of the brain responsible for processing visual information.

Simple Cell

A neuron in the visual cortex that responds to specific orientations of light.

Contrast

The difference in light intensity between two regions.

Dorsal Pathway

The pathway in the visual system involved in processing location and motion (the 'where' pathway).

Ventral Pathway

The pathway in the visual system involved in object recognition (the 'what' pathway).

Double Dissociation

An experimental design where two different tasks are affected separately by brain lesions, indicating specialization in brain functions.

Object Discrimination

The ability to identify objects based on their features, associated with the ventral pathway.

Localization

The ability to determine the position of objects in space, related to the dorsal pathway.

Long-Term Plasticity

The capacity of neurons to change their structure and function in response to experience.

Contrast Threshold

The minimum difference in light intensity that can be detected by the sensory system.

Spike

An action potential that occurs when a neuron transmits information.

Phosphene

A sensation of light produced by stimulating the visual cortex.

Encoding

The process of converting sensory input into a neural signal.

LGN (Lateral Geniculate Nucleus)

A relay center in the brain where visual information is processed before reaching the visual cortex.

Integrative Neuron

A neuron that combines inputs from multiple other neurons to create a complex response.

Visual Prosthesis

A device designed to stimulate the visual system of blind individuals.

Temporal Cortex

The region of the brain involved in processing complex visual stimuli and object recognition.

Fovea

The central region of the retina where visual acuity is highest.

Adaptation

The process through which sensory response changes with sustained exposure to a stimulus.

Neuroscience

The scientific study of the nervous system, including the brain.

Oriented Edge

A line of varying light intensity that is critical for visual processing.

Spatial Receptive Field

A receptive field that corresponds to a specific location in the visual field.

V1 Neurons

Neurons located in the primary visual cortex that respond to basic visual features.

Sensory Epithelium

The tissue that contains sensory receptors.

Visual Information

Data received by the visual system that is interpreted as images.