Vision in toads
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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| - | '''Feature detection''' is a process by which the nervous system sorts or filters complex natural stimuli in order to extract behaviorally relevant cues that have a high probability of being associated with important objects or organisms in their environment, as opposed to irrelevant background or noise. | ||
| - | ''Feature detectors'' are individual neurons—or groups of neurons—in the brain which code for perceptually significant stimuli. Early in the sensory pathway feature detectors tend to have simple properties; later they become more and more complex as the features to which they respond become more and more specific. | + | The neural basis of [[prey detection]], recognition, and [[Animal navigation|orientation]] was studied in depth by [[Jörg-Peter Ewert]] in a series of experiments that made the toad visual system a model system in [[neuroethology]] (neural basis of natural behavior). He began by observing the natural prey catching behavior of the [[Bufo bufo|common European toad]] (''Bufo bufo''). |
| - | For example, simple cells in the visual cortex of the domestic cat (''[[Felis catus]]''), respond to edges—a feature which is more likely to occur in objects and organisms in the environment. By contrast, the background of a natural visual environment tends to be noisy—emphasizing high spatial frequencies but lacking in extended edges. Responding selectively to an extended edge—either a bright line on a dark background, or the reverse—highlights objects that are near or very large. Edge detectors are useful to a cat, because edges do not occur often in the background "noise" of the visual environment, which is of little consequence to the animal. | + | Ewert’s work with toads yielded several important discoveries (Ewert 1974, 2004). In general, his research revealed the specific neural circuits for recognition of complex visual stimuli. Specifically, he identified two main regions of the brain, the [[tectum]] and the thalamic-pretectal region, that were responsible for discriminating [[prey]] from non-prey and revealed the neural pathways that connected them. Furthermore, he found that the neural mechanisms are plastic and adaptable to varying environments and conditions (Carew 2000; Zupanc 2004). |
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| - | == See also == | + | |
| - | *[[Neuroethology]] | + | |
| - | *[[Pattern recognition (psychology)]] | + | |
| - | *[[Vision in toads]] | + | |
| + | ==See also== | ||
| + | * [[Jörg-Peter Ewert]] | ||
| + | * [[Feature detection (nervous system)]] | ||
| + | * [[Neuroethology]] | ||
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The neural basis of prey detection, recognition, and orientation was studied in depth by Jörg-Peter Ewert in a series of experiments that made the toad visual system a model system in neuroethology (neural basis of natural behavior). He began by observing the natural prey catching behavior of the common European toad (Bufo bufo).
Ewert’s work with toads yielded several important discoveries (Ewert 1974, 2004). In general, his research revealed the specific neural circuits for recognition of complex visual stimuli. Specifically, he identified two main regions of the brain, the tectum and the thalamic-pretectal region, that were responsible for discriminating prey from non-prey and revealed the neural pathways that connected them. Furthermore, he found that the neural mechanisms are plastic and adaptable to varying environments and conditions (Carew 2000; Zupanc 2004).
See also
