Watch the first part of this video (“Simple cortical cell”; 0:00 – 3:34). Make sure you have the sound on!!
Note: the video is longer, but this assignment refers only to the “simple cortical cell” section.
You can also read a blog post that refers to this experiment here:
http://charlesfrye.github.io/FoundationalNeuroscience/92vii/
(Note that the post talks about more than just this one experiment, though). This post also has a link to
the original 1959 paper by Hubel and Wiesel, in case you want to take a look.
As described in the blog post and the paper, the experimenters are recording from a neuron in the visual
cortex (V1) of an anaesthetized cat. The cat’s eye is looking at the same piece of paper we see in the
video. The sound you hear (clicks) are action potentials from that neuron, being played over a speaker.
Using the instructions below, write a short essay (length: 500+) about this specific
experiment you see in the video. Although you are expected to answer the questions below in your
essay, please write the piece as an essay, not just as a series of answers to the questions. As for the
previous assignment, you are to work alone on this assignment.
Part 1 (2 points):
Describe what you see and hear in the video (again, referring only to the first 3 ½ minute section). What
are the experimenters doing? Be specific.
Part 2 (2 points):
Describe the shape of the receptive field of this neuron, in detail. Be specific: I am not asking for a
general description of what a receptive field is, but a specific description of the receptive field of the
single V1 “simple cell” neuron studied in this video. What is the shape of the receptive field? How would
you describe the parts of the visual field that excite or inhibit the neuron?
Part 3 (2 points):
This neuron is a “simple cell” in the primary cortical visual area (V1) of a cat. If you were to think about
the neurons in the LGN (e.g. in the thalamus) that project (send input) to this neuron, what would their
receptive fields look like? Describe them in words.
Part 4 (1 point):
What do you think about this experiment? What does it tell us about how sensory systems work? If you
could be in the room during the experiment, is there anything you would have wanted to try?
Aspects of style and grammar (1 point):
Minimal spelling and grammar issues.
Written as an essay (not just answers to the questions) with a coherent structure and flow.
