Adaptation of spatial modulation transfer functions via nonlinear lateral inhibition.

Adaptation, or change of shape of spatial modulation transfer functions (MTFs) on change of mean luminance level, occurs in visual interneurone and human psychophysical observations. Generally the bandwidth decreases and relative low frequency attenuation decreases as mean luminance decreases. Here it is shown how these changes in MTFs can be accounted for by nonlinear lateral inhibition based on spatial distributions of efficacy of voltage controlled synaptic conductance variation.