Contrast-dependent red-green hue shift

J Opt Soc Am A Opt Image Sci Vis. 2018 Apr 1;35(4):B136-B143. doi: 10.1364/JOSAA.35.00B136.

Abstract

On bright surrounds, red-green-balanced yellow targets become greenish brown with decreased target luminance, and red-green-balanced brown targets become reddish yellow with increased target luminance. These effects imply luminance- and/or contrast-dependent weighting of M- and L-cone signals in post-receptoral pathways. We show psychophysically that luminance contrast between the surround and the target is the primary determinant of the magnitude of red-green hue shift, requiring surround luminance at least twice the target luminance and increasing with further increases of surround/target contrast. There is a much smaller effect of absolute stimulus luminance, with dimmer stimuli showing slightly larger hue shifts. To evaluate a possible retinal origin of the changes in cone-signal weightings underlying the hue shift, we recorded spike responses from both ON- and OFF-center midget ganglion cells in peripheral primate retina. We found no evidence that the relative strength of L- and M-cone post-receptoral responses changed systematically with change of surround irradiance. Nor was there any systematic difference between ON- and OFF-subtypes. This suggests that the change in cone signal weighting occurs later in the visual system.

MeSH terms

  • Color Perception / physiology*
  • Cone Opsins / physiology*
  • Contrast Sensitivity / physiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Psychophysics
  • Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells / physiology*
  • Retinal Ganglion Cells / physiology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Cone Opsins