Relationship of Response Latency and Magnitude in the Lgn of Macaque Monkey

INTRODUCTION Response latencies of cortical neurons are not inexorably linked to response magnitude (Oram and Perrett 1992; Gawne et al 1996). The response latency of striate cortical neurons is heavily influenced by contrast whereas changes in response magnitude induced by changes in stimulus configuration (orientation) have relatively less effect on response latency. LGN neurons show increased response magnitude and decreased latency with increased stimulus contrast (e.g. Figure 1). We ask the question “Do stimulus contrast and stimulus configuration have separable effects on magnitude and latency in LGN neural responses?”