What kind of visual stimulation would you do to show

ocular dominance columns with optical imaging?

Stimulating one eye at a time, the full specrum of stimulus
orientations needs to be covered to activate all orientation
selective areas and therefore show the full ocular dominance
columns

What kind of visual stimulation would you do to show up

orientation columns with optical imagery?
Displaying the stimulus to both eyes simultaneously to
stimulate neurons with all levels of binocularity, successively
show differently oriented stimuli while scanning the different
cortical levels for response.
What are the pin-wheel centres in optical imaging
maps?
Pin wheel centres are the points where different orientation
domains meet. (spokes at different orientation spokes meet
at centre of wheel), they tend to be found at the centre of
ocular dominance domains
What are the functions of the two major cortical
streams?
Dorsal- location, depth and action/movement
Projects to MT, MST, Parietal regions (Particularly the posterior
parietal cortex)
Ventral- object recognition, facial recognition, colour, complex
objects
Projects to V4, and the inferotemporal regions

What cortical region is specialised for detection of

motion?
Dorsal stream, area MT
Where in the brain do the signals from the two eyes
come together for the first time?
V1

What type of motion signal processing is the most

complex? i.e. Motion detection, speed discrimination,
optic flow etc.
V1- direction selectivity MT- global motion, speed
discrimination MST- Optic Flow
Therefore, Optic flow is the most complex, is the culmination of
the motion signal processes throughout the pathway
What is binocular rivalry?
Binocular rivalry is a phenomenon which occurs when two
vastly different images are presented to the two eyes. Instead
of the images being viewed as superimposed, the viewer will
see one image for a few moments, then the other, and they will
flicker back and forth randomly.
What are Cytochrome Oxidase blobs?
Groups of neurons in the visual cortex sensitive to colour. They
were discovered using a cytochrome oxidase stain, as high
levels of cytochrome oxidase indicate high levels of metabolic
activity.
What is blindsight?
Blindsight is the phenomenon of people who have had a lesion
is the ventral stream, and therefore do not consciously see
objects around them as their object recognition is completely
compromised, but they respond to objects around them (e.g.
navigating past obstructions) and when asked to guess where
an object is they can do so correctly, due to the still functioning
dorsal stream.
What is visual neglect? Where is the site of brain
damage in neglect?
Most commonly associated with a lesion in the right parietal
lobe. Visual neglect is a condition where an injury in one side of
the brain leads to an inability to perceive the associated visual
field.
How do serial and parallel searches differ?

What is inattentional blindness?

What is attentional blink?

If you are paying attention to one thing there is a delay of
about 500 milliseconds before you can focus on something
else.
What do you understand by binding problem in
perception? What area is necessary to help binding?

What is possibly the role of synchronised neuronal

oscillations?
Creating a neural network of neurons responding to the same
stimuli through feedback loops. Also has roles in pathological
conditions such as epilepsy, which is characterised by
hypersynchronisity
What was Hebbs idea regarding memory and learning?
Long Term Potentiation- Repeated activation of both pre and
post synaptic neurons leads to a strengthening of the synaptic
connection.
What is the most recent neural explanation for
phantom limb?

What is ocular dominance shift?

In the case of uneven stimulation to the eyes during
development, due to intentional covering of one eye or other
pathologies, neurons in the visual cortex will show a shift in
response towards the stimulated eye, moving away from the
typical pattern of ocular dominance
What do you understand about the critical period in
development?
The period in which neuroplasticity can allow for reallocation of
neural function, particularly with regards to ocular dominance
in the visual cortex V1. If one eye is covered during
development, causing an ocular dominance shift, the neurons
can be retrained to form a normal ocular dominance pattern
during the critical period of development, approximately the
first 3 years for humans.

What is the horopter?

The plane where any stimuli on the plane will fall on the same
anatomical point on both retinas.
What is the basis of stereoscopic vision?
Disparity, gives depth due to the eyes positions.
What are the common types of retinal implants
(depending upon their placements)?
Epiretinal, Subretinal, suprachoroidal
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the
different retinal implants?
Epiretinal- Proximity to the retinal ganglion cells, but requires
very complex and invasive surgery, and isnt the most stable
Subretinal- Very stable, good spatial resolution due to location,
but very difficult surgery etc
Suprachoroidal- surgery is quick and easy, but can have poor
spatial resolution due to distance from the target cells
What are the desirable and undesirable properties of
the materials used for bionic eye implants?
Materials must be chemically inert, durable, have high
conductivity, but must not have high resistance