A Dissociation Between Brain Activity and Perception: Chromatically Opponent Cortical Neurons Signal Chromatic Flicker that is not Perceived

When two isoluminant colors alternate at frequencies > 10 Hz, we perceive only one fused color with a minimal sensation of brightness flicker. In spite of the perception of color fusion, color opponent (CO) cells at early stages of the visual pathway are known to respond to chromatic flicker at frequencies far exceeding the perceptual fusion frequency. To explain color fusion, several groups have predicted that CO cells in V1-unlike the retina and lateral geniculate nucleus-should not follow high-frequency flicker. To test this prediction we recorded from 12 CO cells in various V1 layers. We found, contrary to expectations, that these neurons follow high frequency flicker well above heterochromatic fusion frequencies. All followed 15 Hz flicker and 10/12 followed 30 Hz flicker. For three cells, we tested 60 Hz luminance flicker and found clear responses. We thus present evidence of cortical activity in alert, trained monkeys that is clearly representing visual stimulation, yet is not perceived. Our data call into question explanations of perceptual phenomena that invoke a low temporal frequency cut-off of CO cells in V1 to account for the failure to perceive fast temporal changes in the chromatic domain.