Inferences about mechanisms that mediate pattern and flicker sensitivity

Abstract

Visual sensitivity to a flickering, sinusoidal grating was assessed in multiple sclerosis patients and control observers. It was found that losses in spatial contrast sensitivity exhibited by patients were independent of the rate at which the grating was flickered. However, more often than for the controls, the detection criterion for the patients was based upon seeing a pattern rather than. flicker. These findings are interpreted in light of the recent controversy concerning whether there is more than one set of neural mechanisms responsible for processing information about pattern and flicker. It is concluded that the data are consistent with the view that the human visual system contains partially independent channels. © 1984 Psychonomic Society, Inc.