Organisation of signals involved in binocular perception and vergence control

A novel type of dynamic random-dot stereogram (DRS) was used to study vergence movements and depth detection in response to temporal modulations of interocular correlation. Each DRS consisted of the repeated presentation of a pair of correlated images alternated by the presentation of a pair of uncorrelated images. The intervals of high ( T c) and low ( T u) correlation varied from 14 to 224 ms in steps of 14 ms. Depth detection and vergence responses behaved very different from each other as functions of T c and T u. The different behaviours suggest that depth and vergence most likely result from independent streams of disparity processing. It is speculated that magnocellular layers process disparities that drive vergence and that a parvocellular stream of disparity processing is involved in depth perception. This suggestion is discussed in relation to recent findings on binocularly perceived direction and depth. The discussion leads to suggesting a headcentric organisation of signals involved in binocular perception and a retinal organisation of signals involved in vergence control.