Temporal differences between color pathways within the retina as a possible origin of subjective colors.

We propose a model of temporal signal processing within the retina based on temporal differences between the color pathways which may explain the phenomenon of subjective color. We quantify the model by inferring impulse response functions from physiological data, and predict the output of the different color pathways to temporally modulated achromatic signals which produce the sensation of color. Certain achromatic temporally modulated signals create imbalances between the color pathways which are analogous to those produced by stationary chromatic signals.