{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7212919594","doi":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.07.749815","title":"Intrinsic Organization of Contrast Sensitivity in Human Vision","display_name":"Intrinsic Organization of Contrast Sensitivity in Human Vision","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-09-14","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7212919594","doi":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.07.749815"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.64898/2026.09.07.749815","doi":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.07.749815","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.07.749815","pdf_url":"https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2026/09/14/2026.09.07.749815.full.pdf","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306402567","display_name":"bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I2750212522","host_organization_name":"Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I2750212522"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"bioRxiv","raw_type":"posted-content"},"volume":null,"type":"preprint","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2026/09/14/2026.09.07.749815.full.pdf","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5150665466","display_name":"Alexander Minns","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4067-7353","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4067-7353"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I143804889","display_name":"Loughborough University","ror":"https://ror.org/04vg4w365","country_code":"GB","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I143804889"]}],"countries":["GB"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Alexander Minns","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Physics, Loughborough University, LE11 3TU, UK"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4067-7353","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Physics, Loughborough University, LE11 3TU, UK","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I143804889"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5001544433","display_name":"Sergei Gepshtein","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6328-7972","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6328-7972"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I1307098950","display_name":"Salk Institute for Biological Studies","ror":"https://ror.org/03xez1567","country_code":"US","type":"nonprofit","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I1307098950"]},{"id":"https://openalex.org/I36258959","display_name":"University of California San Diego","ror":"https://ror.org/0168r3w48","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I36258959"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Sergei Gepshtein","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA","Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6328-7972","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I36258959"]},{"raw_affiliation_string":"Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I1307098950"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5008484631","display_name":"Natalia Janson","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0654-0003","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0654-0003"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I143804889","display_name":"Loughborough University","ror":"https://ror.org/04vg4w365","country_code":"GB","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I143804889"]}],"countries":["GB"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Natalia Janson","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Mathematical Sciences, Loughborough University, LE11 3TU, UK"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0654-0003","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Mathematical Sciences, Loughborough University, LE11 3TU, UK","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I143804889"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5113595604","display_name":"Sergey E. Savel'ev","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2771-230X","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2771-230X","https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0691-579X"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I143804889","display_name":"Loughborough University","ror":"https://ror.org/04vg4w365","country_code":"GB","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I143804889"]}],"countries":["GB"],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Sergey Savel\u2019ev","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Physics, Loughborough University, LE11 3TU, UK"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0691-579X","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Physics, Loughborough University, LE11 3TU, UK","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I143804889"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":2,"institutions_distinct_count":3,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5001544433","https://openalex.org/A5113595604"],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I1307098950","https://openalex.org/I143804889","https://openalex.org/I36258959"],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10427","display_name":"Visual perception and processing mechanisms","score":0.9984999895095825,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2805","display_name":"Cognitive Neuroscience"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/28","display_name":"Neuroscience"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/1","display_name":"Life Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10427","display_name":"Visual perception and processing mechanisms","score":0.9984999895095825,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2805","display_name":"Cognitive Neuroscience"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/28","display_name":"Neuroscience"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/1","display_name":"Life Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10581","display_name":"Neural dynamics and brain function","score":0.000699999975040555,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2805","display_name":"Cognitive Neuroscience"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/28","display_name":"Neuroscience"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/1","display_name":"Life Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11605","display_name":"Visual Attention and Saliency Detection","score":9.999999747378752e-05,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1707","display_name":"Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/contrast-sensitivity-function","display_name":"contrast sensitivity function","score":0.9359999895095825},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/luminance-adaptation","display_name":"luminance adaptation","score":0.8859999775886536},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/gain-control","display_name":"gain control","score":0.7720000147819519},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/cortical-state","display_name":"cortical state","score":0.4650000035762787},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/network-dynamics","display_name":"network dynamics","score":0.503000020980835},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/spatial-frequency-tuning","display_name":"spatial frequency tuning","score":0.5839999914169312},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/human-vision","display_name":"human vision","score":0.4959999918937683}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C73313986","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q355386","display_name":"Luminance","level":2,"score":0.8996000289916992},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C100921725","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1650811","display_name":"Spatial frequency","level":2,"score":0.7630000114440918},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776502983","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q690182","display_name":"Contrast (vision)","level":2,"score":0.659600019454956},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C21200559","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7451068","display_name":"Sensitivity (control systems)","level":2,"score":0.5730999708175659},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C120665830","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14620","display_name":"Optics","level":1,"score":0.48240000009536743},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C121332964","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q413","display_name":"Physics","level":0,"score":0.47029998898506165},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C180205008","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q159190","display_name":"Amplitude","level":2,"score":0.4668000042438507},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15123163","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q500096","display_name":"Psychophysics","level":3,"score":0.41839998960494995},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C26760741","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q160402","display_name":"Perception","level":2,"score":0.3756999969482422},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C33923547","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q395","display_name":"Mathematics","level":0,"score":0.33880001306533813},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.33880001306533813},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C131584629","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4308705","display_name":"Coupling (piping)","level":2,"score":0.3343000113964081},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.33079999685287476},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C177264268","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1514741","display_name":"Set (abstract data type)","level":2,"score":0.32330000400543213},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C186060115","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q30336093","display_name":"Biological system","level":1,"score":0.32089999318122864},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C104892082","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17156810","display_name":"Low frequency","level":2,"score":0.2962000072002411},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C204323151","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q905424","display_name":"Range (aeronautics)","level":2,"score":0.2937999963760376},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C31972630","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q844240","display_name":"Computer vision","level":1,"score":0.2892000079154968},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C19071747","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1755207","display_name":"Receptive field","level":2,"score":0.273499995470047},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779345533","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q75785","display_name":"Visual cortex","level":2,"score":0.2721000015735626},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C158709400","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3578586","display_name":"Spatial ecology","level":2,"score":0.265500009059906},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C50644808","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192776","display_name":"Artificial neural network","level":2,"score":0.26409998536109924},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C139210041","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2145840","display_name":"Resonance (particle physics)","level":2,"score":0.2630999982357025},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C160086991","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5939193","display_name":"Human visual system model","level":3,"score":0.2630999982357025},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C14036430","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3736076","display_name":"Function (biology)","level":2,"score":0.2558000087738037},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C110235638","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17119820","display_name":"Sensory threshold","level":2,"score":0.251800000667572},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C178253425","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q162668","display_name":"Visual perception","level":3,"score":0.2513999938964844},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C139807058","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q352374","display_name":"Adaptation (eye)","level":2,"score":0.2500999867916107}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.64898/2026.09.07.749815","doi":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.07.749815","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.07.749815","pdf_url":"https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2026/09/14/2026.09.07.749815.full.pdf","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306402567","display_name":"bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I2750212522","host_organization_name":"Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I2750212522"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"bioRxiv","raw_type":"posted-content"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.64898/2026.09.07.749815","doi":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.07.749815","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.07.749815","pdf_url":"https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2026/09/14/2026.09.07.749815.full.pdf","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306402567","display_name":"bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I2750212522","host_organization_name":"Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I2750212522"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"bioRxiv","raw_type":"posted-content"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":true,"grobid_xml":true},"content_urls":{"pdf":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7212919594.pdf","grobid_xml":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7212919594.grobid-xml"},"referenced_works_count":34,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W1936556066","https://openalex.org/W1992476998","https://openalex.org/W1992970078","https://openalex.org/W1998896459","https://openalex.org/W1999758361","https://openalex.org/W2003752843","https://openalex.org/W2006500012","https://openalex.org/W2016354087","https://openalex.org/W2027607829","https://openalex.org/W2032407678","https://openalex.org/W2039251595","https://openalex.org/W2044456223","https://openalex.org/W2058616551","https://openalex.org/W2068278977","https://openalex.org/W2069412624","https://openalex.org/W2072660026","https://openalex.org/W2087727675","https://openalex.org/W2104783780","https://openalex.org/W2105464873","https://openalex.org/W2127958842","https://openalex.org/W2135587681","https://openalex.org/W2137234026","https://openalex.org/W2159831219","https://openalex.org/W2170319235","https://openalex.org/W2783965932","https://openalex.org/W2794283863","https://openalex.org/W2916229689","https://openalex.org/W3128966314","https://openalex.org/W4221162752","https://openalex.org/W4297373466","https://openalex.org/W4378438639","https://openalex.org/W4402289073","https://openalex.org/W4409560851","https://openalex.org/W7128429791"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W240647523","https://openalex.org/W2062868255","https://openalex.org/W2154077798","https://openalex.org/W2077347676","https://openalex.org/W2995185538","https://openalex.org/W243509203","https://openalex.org/W2977810490","https://openalex.org/W2042421136","https://openalex.org/W3128966314","https://openalex.org/W2007205332"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Abstract":[0],"Natural":[1],"vision":[2],"operates":[3],"over":[4,155],"an":[5,68,160],"enormous":[6,195],"range":[7,137,158],"of":[8,25,43,77,138,184,224,263,289],"luminance":[9,21,39,96,213,249],"while":[10],"preserving":[11],"sensitivity":[12,28,132,193],"to":[13,181],"both":[14],"fine":[15],"and":[16,85,109,250,276],"coarse":[17],"spatial":[18,33,53,70,91,100,141,176,222,244,261,278],"structure.":[19],"As":[20],"increases,":[22],"the":[23,26,41,74,78,82,104,113,144,182,201,220,259,264,287,290],"peak":[24],"contrast":[27,131],"function":[29],"shifts":[30,257],"toward":[31],"higher":[32],"frequencies.":[34],"Existing":[35,209],"accounts":[36],"explain":[37,211],"how":[38,212],"rescales":[40],"amplitude":[42],"neural":[44,202],"responses":[45],"through":[46],"gain":[47,216],"control,":[48],"but":[49,217],"not":[50,218],"why":[51,219],"preferred":[52,90,221,243],"frequency":[54,101,142,245,262],"should":[55],"reorganize":[56,175],"systematically":[57,247],"with":[58,228,234,248],"luminance.":[59,139,229],"Here":[60],"we":[61,128,240],"propose":[62],"that":[63,80,242,251,281],"recurrent":[64,236,273,291],"excitatory\u2013inhibitory":[65,237],"interactions":[66],"generate":[67],"intrinsic":[69,99,260],"frequency,":[71],"set":[72],"by":[73,102],"coupling":[75],"structure":[76],"circuit,":[79],"shapes":[81],"network\u2019s":[83],"resonance":[84],"thereby":[86,111],"predicts":[87],"changes":[88,171,196,214,227,246,253],"in":[89,94,159,169,172,197,258],"frequency.":[92],"Changes":[93],"mean":[95],"shift":[97],"this":[98,126,205],"altering":[103],"effective":[105],"balance":[106],"between":[107,115,272],"excitation":[108],"inhibition,":[110],"moving":[112],"network":[114,238],"dynamical":[116],"regimes":[117],"rather":[118],"than":[119],"simply":[120],"rescaling":[121],"its":[122],"responses.":[123],"To":[124],"test":[125],"framework,":[127],"measured":[129],"human":[130],"across":[133,194],"a":[134,156,166,235,269],"finely":[135],"sampled":[136],"Preferred":[140],"followed":[143],"predicted":[145],"course:":[146],"approximately":[147],"constant":[148],"at":[149],"low":[150],"luminance,":[151],"then":[152],"rising":[153],"sharply":[154],"narrow":[157],"S-shaped":[161],"transition.":[162],"These":[163,266],"results":[164],"support":[165],"circuit-based":[167],"account":[168],"which":[170],"cortical":[173,185,274],"state":[174,288],"selectivity,":[177],"linking":[178],"luminance-dependent":[179,277],"perception":[180],"dynamics":[183,275],"computation.":[186],"Significance":[187],"Statement":[188],"The":[189],"visual":[190,225],"system":[191],"maintains":[192],"environmental":[198],"illumination,":[199],"yet":[200],"mechanism":[203],"underlying":[204],"adaptability":[206],"remains":[207],"unclear.":[208],"theories":[210],"response":[215],"scale":[223],"processing":[226],"By":[230],"combining":[231],"psychophysical":[232],"measurements":[233],"model,":[239],"show":[241],"these":[252],"can":[254,284],"arise":[255],"from":[256,286],"circuit.":[265],"findings":[267],"provide":[268],"mechanistic":[270],"link":[271],"tuning,":[279],"suggesting":[280],"spatial-frequency":[282],"selectivity":[283],"emerge":[285],"network.":[292]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-11-09T13:22:03.289127","created_date":"2026-09-15T00:00:00"}