A model for non-linear processing in cat's retina.

The model is based on the concept that non-linear lateral interaction at the inner plexiform layer accounts for most of the specialization and marked non-linearities in cat's retinal ganglion cell responses. The inputs to the lateral interaction processes are a spatio-temporal signal and its retarded, as suggested by the behaviour of simple ganglion cells. Lateral interaction in the model consists of lateral linear inhibition followed by local half wave rectification. The resulting signals are weighted and summated by the ganglion cell thereafter. A transparent and general expression is obtained for the response of the cell model which, albeit its simplicity, leads to most of known types of non-linear responses, including the rarely encountered specialized cells in cat's, retina, except colour coding units. For negligible lateral interaction, the model reduces to spatio-temporal linear models under the two paths hypothesis. A discussion of the possible role of anatomical units in these retinal processes in presented, where a general interpretation for visual processing in cat's retina evolves from.