S-cone discrimination in the presence of two adapting fields: data and model.

This study investigated S-cone discrimination using a test annulus surrounded by an inner and outer adapting field with systematic manipulation of the adapting l=L/(L+M) or s=S/(L+M) chromaticities. The results showed that different adapting l chromaticities altered S-cone discrimination for a high adapting s chromaticity due to parvocellular input to the koniocellular pathway. In addition, S-cone discrimination was determined by the combined spectral signals arising from both adapting fields. The "white" adapting field or an adapting field with a different l chromaticity from the other fields was more likely to have a stronger influence on discrimination thresholds. These results indicated that the two cardinal axes are not independent in S-cone discrimination, and the two adapting fields jointly contribute to S-cone discrimination through a cortical summation mechanism.