Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, 9712 TS Groningen, The Netherlands; email:
Annu Rev Vis Sci. 2020 Sep 15;6:433-451. doi: 10.1146/annurev-vision-030320-062352. Epub 2020 May 20.
The pupil responds reflexively to changes in brightness and focal distance to maintain the smallest pupil (and thus the highest visual acuity) that still allows sufficient light to reach the retina. The pupil also responds to a wide variety of cognitive processes, but the functions of these cognitive responses are still poorly understood. In this review, I propose that cognitive pupil responses, like their reflexive counterparts, serve to optimize vision. Specifically, an emphasis on central vision over peripheral vision results in pupil constriction, and this likely reflects the fact that central vision benefits most from the increased visual acuity provided by small pupils. Furthermore, an intention to act with a bright stimulus results in preparatory pupil constriction, which allows the pupil to respond quickly when that bright stimulus is subsequently brought into view. More generally, cognitively driven pupil responses are likely a form of sensory tuning: a subtle adjustment of the eyes to optimize their properties for the current situation and the immediate future.
瞳孔对光亮度和焦距的变化作出反射性反应，以保持能让足够光线到达视网膜的最小瞳孔（从而保持最高的视觉敏锐度）。瞳孔还会对各种各样的认知过程作出反应，但这些认知反应的功能仍未被充分理解。在这篇综述中，我提出认知性瞳孔反应与反射性瞳孔反应类似，都是为了优化视觉。具体而言，对中央视觉的重视超过对周边视觉的重视会导致瞳孔收缩，这可能反映出这样一个事实，即中央视觉从小瞳孔提供的更高视觉敏锐度中获益最多。此外，用明亮的刺激物进行意向性动作会导致预备性瞳孔收缩，这使得当随后将明亮的刺激物带入视野时，瞳孔能够快速做出反应。更一般地说，认知驱动的瞳孔反应可能是一种感觉调整：对眼睛进行微妙的调整，以优化它们在当前情况和即将到来的未来的特性。
