Neural response to the motion of textures in the lateral suprasylvian area of cats.

Neural response to the motion of visual texture was studied in the lateral suprasylvian area of anesthetized and immobilized cats. We used two types of texture: random noise (a Julesz pattern) and random stripes (parallel bars with random spacings). Among 152 neurons studied 73% responded to the motion of texture, and among these neurons 61% preferred the noise to the stripes. Textures with pixels between 1.6 degree and 4.8 degrees were most effective. Directional tuning of each neuron was usually wider to the noise than to the stripes. The neurons preferred lateral-downward directions of stimulation more often than the other directions. Possible involvement of the neurons in visually guided behaviors, such as optokinetic nystagmus, was discussed.