Receptive Field Development

This lecture covers the concept of receptive fields in neurobiology, starting with the definition of a receptive field as a portion of sensory space that triggers neuronal responses. It explores the different types of receptive fields in the retina, based on ON/OFF center and surround cells. The presentation delves into the famous Hubel and Wiesel experiment, highlighting how neurons respond to specific visual stimuli. The discussion extends to the formation of complex receptive fields from simple ones, emphasizing the role of Hebbian learning in this process. The lecture concludes by examining how local circuits are established through the interaction of sensory information and synaptic plasticity mechanisms, leading to the development of specialized neurons.