SO(3) Symmetry Breaking Mechanism for Orientation and Spatial Frequency Tuning in the Visual Cortex

Abstract

A dynamical model of orientation and spatial frequency tuning in a cortical hypercolumn is presented. The network topology is taken to be a sphere whose poles correspond to orientation pinwheels associated with high and low spatial frequency domains, respectively. Recurrent interactions within the sphere generate a tuned response via an SO(3) symmetry breaking mechanism. © 2002 The American Physical Society.