Mostly-monocular responses and other visual functions in a multiscale network model of Macaque V1

Visual signals from the two eyes merge gradually as they pass through the primary visual cortex (V1).

Here we use a computational model of Macaque V1 to study the first stage of this integration along the magnocellular pathway, in layer 4C$\alpha$, aiming to infer neuroanatomical origins of binocular response.

It is known that neurons in layer 4C$\alpha$ are predominantly monocular, though some do exhibit varying degrees of binocularity.

We find (1) the emergence of narrow binocular strips along borders of ocular dominance columns (ODC), a finding that aligns with experiments; (2) most consistent with data is when $10-30\%$ of interactions near ODC boundaries are cross-columnar; and (3) feedback from layer 6 is largely monocular.

These results were obtained through systematic hypothesis testing using a multiscale model that is orders of magnitude faster than its biologically-detailed predecessors.

We propose that multiscale modeling can be an effective tool for bridging anatomy and function.