Prior activity influences the velocity of impulses in frog and cat optic nerve fibers

Under normal visual stimulation, simultaneous recording from ganglion cells in the retina and from the axons of these cells in the brain revealed activity-dependent differences in the velocity of impulse propagation. In frog ganglion cells, spikes initiated 5–500 ms after a previous impulse showed supernormal increases in conduction velocity of up to 17%; spikes initiated 500–2000 ms after a previous one traveled more slowly than a spike initiated after a long period of rest. Cat ganglion cell impulses showed much smaller supernormality (maximum 3%), but exhibited pronounced slowing due to refractoriness and long-term fatigue associated with their high levels of spontaneous activity.