International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 26-29, 1998 / Town & Country Resort Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, California / Conventional phased arrays nominally sum the signals received by the elements prior to detection. By multiplying rather than summing signals received from pairs of elements, i.e., interferometer pairs, a set of Spatial Frequencies (SFs) is obtained. Obtaining the SFs requires employment of a multiple local oscillator technique. When summed, these spatial frequencies produce a single lobed (voltage) radiation pattern which, when passed through a biased detector, removes all sidelobes from the response at a small loss of desired signal power.

Le cannabis est la drogue illégale la plus consommée actuellement en France. Le Δ9-tétrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), en tant qu’excocannabinoïde, a un impact sur le système visuel via le système endocannabinoïde. Physiologiquement, parmi les deux voies majoritairement responsables de la transmission de l’information visuelle aux stades les plus précoces, la voie magnocellulaire pourrait être la plus sensible à l’effet du Δ9-THC. La perception des visages, stimuli complexes, nécessite le traitement précoce d’informations de bas niveaux : les fréquences spatiales. Or, les différentes gammes de fréquences spatiales, séparables en gamme de basses (BFS) et de hautes fréquences spatiales (HFS) seraient respectivement transmises de manière privilégiée par les voies magnocellulaire et parvocellulaire. Par ailleurs, la littérature fait état d’anomalies du traitement magnocellulaire dans la schizophrénie, une pathologie dont le risque accroît avec l’usage de cannabis. Ainsi, par le concours d’études chez des usagers de cannabis, des personnes souffrant de schizophrénie et des volontaires sains, notre recherche devait permettre d’évaluer l’impact de l’usage de cannabis sur les processus sensoriels et perceptifs en jeu dans le traitement des visages. Grâce à la mesure des composantes des potentiels évoqués P100 et N170 en réponse aux différentes gammes de fréquences spatiales contenues dans les visages, nous validons dans une première étude la méthodologie utilisée, confirmant notamment la sensibilité de la composante P100 aux BFS et de la N170 aux HFS. Une deuxième étude utilisant la même méthodologie suggère une altération du traitement des informations de BFS chez les consommateurs de cannabis, mesurable par une altération de l’étape perceptive d’intégration des informations de bas niveau associée à la N170. Une troisième étude portant sur des patients souffrant de schizophrénie retrouve une altération du traitement des BFS au cours des étapes précoces (composantes P100 et N170) et permet d’interpréter les résultats observés chez les usagers de cannabis sur la base d’une pathologie dont les dysfonctions visuelles sont mieux connues. / Cannabis is currently the most consumed illegal drug in France. The Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), as an exocannabinoid impacts the human visual system through the endocannabinoid system. Among the two main pathways responsible for early visual transmission, the magnocellular pathway might be the most affected by Δ9-THC. As they are complex stimuli, visual perception of faces requires the early processing of spatial frequencies, which are a type of low level information. The extreme ranges of spatial frequencies, qualified as low spatial frequencies (LSF) and high spatial frequencies (HSF), would be mainly transmitted, respectively by magnocellular and parvocellular pathways. In addition, literature already provides evidence towards magnocellular pathway impairments in schizophrenia, a pathology which incidence is known to increase with cannabis use. Hence, from studies with cannabis regular users, patients suffering from schizophrenia, and healthy controls, our research aimed at assessing the impact of regular cannabis use on early visual processes of face perception. Considering the P100 and N170 event-related potential (ERP) components in response to specific ranges of spatial frequencies available in our face stimuli, our first study tested and validated the methodology. As expected, healthy participants showed a stronger sensibility in response to LSF stimuli on the P100 and to the HSF stimuli on the N170. Using the same methodology, the second study suggests a LSF processing alteration in cannabis users, as reflected by the N170 ERP component. Our last study was conducted on patients suffering from schizophrenia and confirmed an alteration of LSF processing on both the P100 and the N170. On the basis of a pathology presenting well documented visual deficits, this last observation allows us to propose an interpretation of cannabis users’ data.

L’effet d’encombrement, qui nous empêche d’identifier correctement un stimulus visuel lorsqu’il est entouré de flanqueurs, est omniprésent à travers une grande variété de classes de stimuli. L’excentricité du stimulus cible ainsi que la distance cible-flanqueur constituent des facteurs fondamentaux qui modulent l’effet d’encombrement. La similarité cible-flanqueur semble également contribuer à l’ampleur de l’effet d’encombrement, selon des données obtenues avec des stimuli non-linguistiques. La présente étude a examiné ces trois facteurs en conjonction avec le contenu en fréquences spatiales des stimuli, dans une tâche d’identification de lettres. Nous avons présenté des images filtrées de lettres à des sujets non-dyslexiques exempts de troubles neurologiques, tout en manipulant l’excentricité de la cible ainsi que la similarité cible-flanqueurs (selon des matrices de confusion pré-établies). Quatre types de filtrage de fréquences spatiales ont été utilisés : passe-bas, passe-haut, à large bande et mixte (i.e. élimination des fréquences moyennes, connues comme étant optimales pour l’identification de lettres). Ces conditions étaient appariées en termes d’énergie de contraste. Les sujets devaient identifier la lettre cible le plus rapidement possible en évitant de commettre une erreur. Les résultats démontrent que la similarité cible-flanqueur amplifie l’effet d’encombrement, i.e. l’effet conjoint de distance et d’excentricité. Ceci étend les connaissances sur l’impact de la similarité sur l’encombrement à l’identification visuelle de stimuli linguistiques. De plus, la magnitude de l’effet d’encombrement est plus grande avec le filtre passe-bas, suivit du filtre mixte, du filtre passe-haut et du filtre à large bande, avec différences significatives entre les conditions consécutives. Nous concluons que : 1- les fréquences spatiales moyennes offrent une protection optimale contre l’encombrement en identification de lettres; 2- lorsque les fréquences spatiales moyennes sont absentes du stimulus, les hautes fréquences protègent contre l’encombrement alors que les basses fréquences l’amplifient, probablement par l’entremise de leur impact opposé quant la disponibilité de l’information sur les caractéristiques distinctives des stimul. / Visual crowding, which impairs our ability to accurately identify a target stimulus when surrounded by flankers, is ubiquitous across a wide variety of stimulus classes. Target eccentricity and target-flanker distance constitute fundamental factors in crowding. Target-flanker similarity appears as another key factor based on findings obtained with non-linguistic stimuli. The present study investigated the impact of these factors in conjunction with spatial frequency content on single letter identification performance. We presented spatial frequency filtered letters to neurologically intact nondyslexic readers while manipulating target-flanker distance, target eccentricity and target-flanker similarity (metric based on published letter confusion matrices). Spatial frequency filtering conditions were broadband, low-pass, high-pass and hybrid (i.e. medium spatial frequencies, known as optimal for letter recognition, removed from the stimulus). These conditions were matched on overall contrast energy. Participants were required to identify the target letter as fast and as accurately as possible. The results show that high target-flanker similarity enhances crowding, i.e. the joint effects of distance and eccentricity. This extends past findings on the impact of similarity on crowding to the visual identification of linguistic materials. Most importantly, the magnitude of the crowding effect is greatest with low-pass filtering, followed by hybrids, high-pass, and broadband, with all pairwise contrasts significant. We conclude that: 1- medium spatial frequencies provide optimal protection from crowding in letter recognition; 2- when medium spatial frequencies are absent from the stimulus, low spatial frequencies magnify crowding and high spatial frequencies protect against it, most likely through their opposite impact on the availability of distinctive feature information.

L’effet d’encombrement, qui nous empêche d’identifier correctement un stimulus visuel lorsqu’il est entouré de flanqueurs, est omniprésent à travers une grande variété de classes de stimuli. L’excentricité du stimulus cible ainsi que la distance cible-flanqueur constituent des facteurs fondamentaux qui modulent l’effet d’encombrement. La similarité cible-flanqueur semble également contribuer à l’ampleur de l’effet d’encombrement, selon des données obtenues avec des stimuli non-linguistiques. La présente étude a examiné ces trois facteurs en conjonction avec le contenu en fréquences spatiales des stimuli, dans une tâche d’identification de lettres. Nous avons présenté des images filtrées de lettres à des sujets non-dyslexiques exempts de troubles neurologiques, tout en manipulant l’excentricité de la cible ainsi que la similarité cible-flanqueurs (selon des matrices de confusion pré-établies). Quatre types de filtrage de fréquences spatiales ont été utilisés : passe-bas, passe-haut, à large bande et mixte (i.e. élimination des fréquences moyennes, connues comme étant optimales pour l’identification de lettres). Ces conditions étaient appariées en termes d’énergie de contraste. Les sujets devaient identifier la lettre cible le plus rapidement possible en évitant de commettre une erreur. Les résultats démontrent que la similarité cible-flanqueur amplifie l’effet d’encombrement, i.e. l’effet conjoint de distance et d’excentricité. Ceci étend les connaissances sur l’impact de la similarité sur l’encombrement à l’identification visuelle de stimuli linguistiques. De plus, la magnitude de l’effet d’encombrement est plus grande avec le filtre passe-bas, suivit du filtre mixte, du filtre passe-haut et du filtre à large bande, avec différences significatives entre les conditions consécutives. Nous concluons que : 1- les fréquences spatiales moyennes offrent une protection optimale contre l’encombrement en identification de lettres; 2- lorsque les fréquences spatiales moyennes sont absentes du stimulus, les hautes fréquences protègent contre l’encombrement alors que les basses fréquences l’amplifient, probablement par l’entremise de leur impact opposé quant la disponibilité de l’information sur les caractéristiques distinctives des stimul. / Visual crowding, which impairs our ability to accurately identify a target stimulus when surrounded by flankers, is ubiquitous across a wide variety of stimulus classes. Target eccentricity and target-flanker distance constitute fundamental factors in crowding. Target-flanker similarity appears as another key factor based on findings obtained with non-linguistic stimuli. The present study investigated the impact of these factors in conjunction with spatial frequency content on single letter identification performance. We presented spatial frequency filtered letters to neurologically intact nondyslexic readers while manipulating target-flanker distance, target eccentricity and target-flanker similarity (metric based on published letter confusion matrices). Spatial frequency filtering conditions were broadband, low-pass, high-pass and hybrid (i.e. medium spatial frequencies, known as optimal for letter recognition, removed from the stimulus). These conditions were matched on overall contrast energy. Participants were required to identify the target letter as fast and as accurately as possible. The results show that high target-flanker similarity enhances crowding, i.e. the joint effects of distance and eccentricity. This extends past findings on the impact of similarity on crowding to the visual identification of linguistic materials. Most importantly, the magnitude of the crowding effect is greatest with low-pass filtering, followed by hybrids, high-pass, and broadband, with all pairwise contrasts significant. We conclude that: 1- medium spatial frequencies provide optimal protection from crowding in letter recognition; 2- when medium spatial frequencies are absent from the stimulus, low spatial frequencies magnify crowding and high spatial frequencies protect against it, most likely through their opposite impact on the availability of distinctive feature information.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 30-November 02, 1995 / Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada / Two retrodirective antenna systems that autonomously point high gain beams to a signal source without requiring a priori knowledge of location are described. The first is a stationary phased array requiring no phase shifters or switches for its operation. The second is a steerable platform with a thinned receive array for signal acquisition and platform pointing and dish(es) to satisfy the high gain function.

It has been shown that infants build representations of their visual world by forming relations among its parts. However little is known about how they select the parts to relate. One possibility is that while constructing their visual world part by part they are also decomposing it, using finer and finer parts. One way to test this theory is to simply control the parts infants see. This easiest way to do this is to filter real life objects of their high and low spatial frequencies. High spatial frequencies provide information about the smaller parts where as low spatial frequencies provide information about the larger ones. By removing high or low spatial frequency we can control the coarseness of their representation and ultimately determine the level at which they function best. The present study examined infants’ ability to use high and low spatial frequencies to discriminate between objects. Infants were habituated and tested using a combination of high and low spatial frequency images. Only infants experiencing a consistent spatial frequency across habituation and test were able to discriminate between objects. Infants were also better at discriminating between objects containing high spatial frequencies. In a second study designed to be more true to life, infants were habituated to broadband images and tested using high or low spatial frequencies. This time infants did not discriminate between objects but they did look longer at low spatial frequency information than at the high. From these findings we can conclude that infants use both high and low spatial frequency information when discriminating objects, and that in certain cases one frequency may become more important than the other. The spatial frequency they use may be dependent on the context of the task. Numerous studies have shown that adults prioritize high and low spatial frequency information depending on how fast they want to process the object, the amount of detail they require, and whether they used high or low spatial frequency information during previous experiences. Infants may be similar. At times they may emphasize low spatial frequency information and the big picture. At other times they may emphasize high spatial frequency information and the detail. More studies examining how infants select information for processing are necessary and spatial frequency will likely to be an important tool in the investigation. / text

O presente estudo teve como objetivo investigar possíveis alterações na percepção visual relacionadas à depressão maior. Para tanto, realizou-se medidas de sensibilidade ao contraste (SC), uma das ferramentas mais utilizadas na avaliação teórica e clínica do sistema visual humano. A SC tem se estabelecido como uma técnica que permite estudar e identificar a forma como determinadas patologias acometem a visão e o sistema nervoso central. Participaram deste estudo 33 voluntários, com idades entre 19 e 37 anos e acuidade visual normal ou corrigida. Dentre eles, 11 foram diagnosticados com transtorno depressivo maior, segundo os critérios do DSM-IV e se encontravam devidamente medicados (Grupo Depressão - GD). Os outros 22 eram isentos de patologia neuropsiquiátrica e gozavam de boa saúde (Grupo Controle - GC). A SC foi mensurada através do método psicofísico da escolha forçada entre duas alternativas temporais (2AF). Foram testadas as frequências espaciais lineares de 0,5; 2,5; 10 e 20 ciclos por grau de ângulo visual (cpg) e as angulares de 2, 4, 24, 48 e 96 ciclos/360º. Os estímulos eram circulares e foram apresentados em um monitor de vídeo LG, RGB de 19 polegadas (resolução de tela de 1024 x 768 pixels a 75 Hz) conectado a um microcomputador e um BITS ++ (Cambridge Research Systems). A luminância média da tela foi de 41,05 cd/m² mensurada por um fotômetro ColorCAL (Cambridge Research Systems). As medidas foram realizadas a uma distância de 300 cm da tela do monitor. Os estímulos foram exibidos em pares sucessivos, um com a frequência testada (espaciais lineares ou angulares) e o outro era um círculo cinza com luminância homogênea. Os participantes foram orientados a pressionar o botão do lado esquerdo do mouse, quando o estímulo teste fosse apresentado primeiro, e o botão do lado direito, quando fosse apresentado depois do estímulo com luminância homogênea. Os resultados mostraram um efeito de interação para as frequências espaciais lineares [F(3, 93) = 6,0814, p = 0,0008], o test post-hoc Newmann Kels mostrou diferença significante na frequência de 0,5 cpg. Os resultados para as frequências angulares mostraram um efeito de interação marginalmente significante. As análises com post-hoc mostraram uma diferença marginalmente significante para frequência de 2 ciclos/360º. Esses resultados sugerem alterações na SC de pacientes com depressão maior medicados / The present study aimed to investigate potential changes in visual perception related to major depression. Then, we measure of contrast sensitivity (CS), one of the most used tools to study the humans visual system. The CS has established itself as one tool that allows to study and identify how certain diseases affect the vision and the central nervous system. The study included 33 volunteers aged between 19 and 37 years and they are normal or corrected visual acuity. 11 were diagnosed with major depressive disorder according to DSM-IV and were treated with antidepressants (Depression Group - DG). The other 22 were free of neuropsychiatric disease and were in good health (Control Group - CG). The CS was measured using the psychophysical method of forced choice between two temporal alternatives (2AF). Were tested linear spatial frequencies of 0.5, 2.5, 10 and 20 cycles per degree of visual angle (cpd) and the angular frequencies of 2, 4, 24, 48 and 96 cycles/360º. The stimuli were circular and were presented on a video monitor LG 19-inch RGB (screen resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels at 75 Hz) connected to a microcomputer and a BITS + + (Cambridge Research Systems). The average luminance of the display was 41.05 cd / m² measured by a photometer ColorCal (Cambridge Research Systems). The measurements were performed at a distance of 300 cm from the monitor screen. The stimuli were displayed in successive pairs, with a frequency tested (linear or angular) and the other was a gray circle with uniform luminance. Participants were instructed to press the left mouses button when the test stimulus was presented first, and the right button when the stimulus was presented second. The results showed an interaction effect for the linear spatial frequency [F (3, 93) = 6.0814, p = 0.0008], the test post-hoc Newmann Kels showed significant difference in frequency of 0.5 cpd. The results for the angular frequencies showed a marginally significant effect of interaction. The analyzes with post-hoc showed a marginally significant difference for frequency of 2 cycles/360º. These results suggest changes in the CS of patients with major depression medicated

O presente estudo teve por objetivo investigar se o reconhecimento de faces ocorre prioritariamente por processamento analítico ou holístico nos hemisférios cerebrais em homens e mulheres por meio do estudo do espectro de frequência espacial. Para isso, no Experimento I, 40 voluntários (20 mulheres) realizaram duas sessões. Em cada uma delas foram memorizadas 14 faces para uma tarefa de reconhecimento. Nesta, cada face foi apresentada por 300 ms, e em uma das sessões as imagens foram apresentadas somente no hemicampo visual direito, e noutra só no hemicampo visual esquerdo por meio de uma adaptação do método do campo visual dividido. A tarefa dos participantes foi assinalar o grau de confiabilidade de sua resposta (confidence rating method) ao discriminar as faces memorizadas de outras inéditas. Os estímulos da tarefa de reconhecimento foram apresentados em três condições: (1) em frequências espaciais altas, FEAs, (2) em frequências espaciais baixas, FEBs, e (3) sem filtragem, SFE. As frequências de respostas aos graus de confiabilidade permitiram calcular as curvas ROC e os parâmetros Az e da da Teoria de Deteção de Sinal. Por meio destes, foi comparado o desempenho do reconhecimento facial nas diferentes faixas do espectro espacial. De maneira complementar, foi realizado uma ANOVA para testar a diferença dos tempos de resposta no reconhecimento entre as filtragens. Não foi evidenciada especialização hemisférica no reconhecimento de faces com filtragem espacial. Mas homens, de modo tênue, perceberam melhor faces em FEBs e mulheres em FEAs. Para verificar se este resultado não se deu em função da apresentação lateralizada, foi realizado o Experimento II, nos moldes de uma sessão experimental do Experimento I, mas com apresentação central. Vinte voluntários (10 mulheres) participaram do experimento. Novamente, homens e mulheres foram mais sensíveis às faces em FEBs e FEAs, respectivamente. Deste modo, conclui-se que homens utilizam mais recursos holísticos e mulheres, por sua vez, operações analíticas. Os resultados dão bases para a não ocorrência de especialização hemisférica de frequencias espaciais no reconhecimento de faces em longos tempos de exposições. A diferença de sexo observada e nos atenta para a necessidade de controle amostral por sexo em pesquisas da área. / This study aimed to investigate whether face recognition occurs primarily by analytic or holistic processing in the cerebral hemispheres of men and women through the study of the spatial frequency spectrum. Therefore, in Experiment I, 40 volunteers (20 women) performed two sessions. In each of, 14 faces were memorized for a recognition task and each face was presented for 300 ms. Images were presented only in the right visual hemifield in a session, and in another only in the left visual hemifield by means of an adaptation of the method of divided visual field. The participants task was to assign the reliability of their response (confidence rating method) to discriminate the study faces from distractors. The recognition task stimuli were presented in three conditions: (1) at high spatial frequencies, FEAs, (2) at low spatial frequencies, FEBs, and (3) unfiltered, SFE. The frequencies of responses to the degree of reliability used to calculate ROC curves and parameters Az and da of the Signal Detection Theory compared the performance of face recognition in different bands of the spectrum. In a complementary way, an ANOVA was conducted to test response times differences in the recognition between filtering. There was no evidence of hemispheric specialization in face recognition with spatial filtering. But men had better performance in recognizing faces in FEBs and women faces in FEAs. To verify that this result was not in function of lateralized presentation, Experiment II was conducted, along the lines of an experimental session of Experiment I, but with central presentation. Twenty volunteers (10 women) participated in the experiment. Again, men and women were more sensitive to faces in FEBs and FEAs, respectively. Thus it follows that men use holistic resources and women analytical operations. The results provide no basis for the occurrence of hemispheric specialization of spatial frequencies in face recognition over long exposure times. The sex difference observed brings us to the need for control sample by sex in spatial frequency research.

O presente estudo teve por objetivo investigar se o reconhecimento de faces ocorre prioritariamente por processamento analítico ou holístico nos hemisférios cerebrais em homens e mulheres por meio do estudo do espectro de frequência espacial. Para isso, no Experimento I, 40 voluntários (20 mulheres) realizaram duas sessões. Em cada uma delas foram memorizadas 14 faces para uma tarefa de reconhecimento. Nesta, cada face foi apresentada por 300 ms, e em uma das sessões as imagens foram apresentadas somente no hemicampo visual direito, e noutra só no hemicampo visual esquerdo por meio de uma adaptação do método do campo visual dividido. A tarefa dos participantes foi assinalar o grau de confiabilidade de sua resposta (confidence rating method) ao discriminar as faces memorizadas de outras inéditas. Os estímulos da tarefa de reconhecimento foram apresentados em três condições: (1) em frequências espaciais altas, FEAs, (2) em frequências espaciais baixas, FEBs, e (3) sem filtragem, SFE. As frequências de respostas aos graus de confiabilidade permitiram calcular as curvas ROC e os parâmetros Az e da da Teoria de Deteção de Sinal. Por meio destes, foi comparado o desempenho do reconhecimento facial nas diferentes faixas do espectro espacial. De maneira complementar, foi realizado uma ANOVA para testar a diferença dos tempos de resposta no reconhecimento entre as filtragens. Não foi evidenciada especialização hemisférica no reconhecimento de faces com filtragem espacial. Mas homens, de modo tênue, perceberam melhor faces em FEBs e mulheres em FEAs. Para verificar se este resultado não se deu em função da apresentação lateralizada, foi realizado o Experimento II, nos moldes de uma sessão experimental do Experimento I, mas com apresentação central. Vinte voluntários (10 mulheres) participaram do experimento. Novamente, homens e mulheres foram mais sensíveis às faces em FEBs e FEAs, respectivamente. Deste modo, conclui-se que homens utilizam mais recursos holísticos e mulheres, por sua vez, operações analíticas. Os resultados dão bases para a não ocorrência de especialização hemisférica de frequencias espaciais no reconhecimento de faces em longos tempos de exposições. A diferença de sexo observada e nos atenta para a necessidade de controle amostral por sexo em pesquisas da área. / This study aimed to investigate whether face recognition occurs primarily by analytic or holistic processing in the cerebral hemispheres of men and women through the study of the spatial frequency spectrum. Therefore, in Experiment I, 40 volunteers (20 women) performed two sessions. In each of, 14 faces were memorized for a recognition task and each face was presented for 300 ms. Images were presented only in the right visual hemifield in a session, and in another only in the left visual hemifield by means of an adaptation of the method of divided visual field. The participants task was to assign the reliability of their response (confidence rating method) to discriminate the study faces from distractors. The recognition task stimuli were presented in three conditions: (1) at high spatial frequencies, FEAs, (2) at low spatial frequencies, FEBs, and (3) unfiltered, SFE. The frequencies of responses to the degree of reliability used to calculate ROC curves and parameters Az and da of the Signal Detection Theory compared the performance of face recognition in different bands of the spectrum. In a complementary way, an ANOVA was conducted to test response times differences in the recognition between filtering. There was no evidence of hemispheric specialization in face recognition with spatial filtering. But men had better performance in recognizing faces in FEBs and women faces in FEAs. To verify that this result was not in function of lateralized presentation, Experiment II was conducted, along the lines of an experimental session of Experiment I, but with central presentation. Twenty volunteers (10 women) participated in the experiment. Again, men and women were more sensitive to faces in FEBs and FEAs, respectively. Thus it follows that men use holistic resources and women analytical operations. The results provide no basis for the occurrence of hemispheric specialization of spatial frequencies in face recognition over long exposure times. The sex difference observed brings us to the need for control sample by sex in spatial frequency research.

O presente estudo teve como objetivo investigar possíveis alterações na percepção visual relacionadas à depressão maior. Para tanto, realizou-se medidas de sensibilidade ao contraste (SC), uma das ferramentas mais utilizadas na avaliação teórica e clínica do sistema visual humano. A SC tem se estabelecido como uma técnica que permite estudar e identificar a forma como determinadas patologias acometem a visão e o sistema nervoso central. Participaram deste estudo 33 voluntários, com idades entre 19 e 37 anos e acuidade visual normal ou corrigida. Dentre eles, 11 foram diagnosticados com transtorno depressivo maior, segundo os critérios do DSM-IV e se encontravam devidamente medicados (Grupo Depressão - GD). Os outros 22 eram isentos de patologia neuropsiquiátrica e gozavam de boa saúde (Grupo Controle - GC). A SC foi mensurada através do método psicofísico da escolha forçada entre duas alternativas temporais (2AF). Foram testadas as frequências espaciais lineares de 0,5; 2,5; 10 e 20 ciclos por grau de ângulo visual (cpg) e as angulares de 2, 4, 24, 48 e 96 ciclos/360º. Os estímulos eram circulares e foram apresentados em um monitor de vídeo LG, RGB de 19 polegadas (resolução de tela de 1024 x 768 pixels a 75 Hz) conectado a um microcomputador e um BITS ++ (Cambridge Research Systems). A luminância média da tela foi de 41,05 cd/m² mensurada por um fotômetro ColorCAL (Cambridge Research Systems). As medidas foram realizadas a uma distância de 300 cm da tela do monitor. Os estímulos foram exibidos em pares sucessivos, um com a frequência testada (espaciais lineares ou angulares) e o outro era um círculo cinza com luminância homogênea. Os participantes foram orientados a pressionar o botão do lado esquerdo do mouse, quando o estímulo teste fosse apresentado primeiro, e o botão do lado direito, quando fosse apresentado depois do estímulo com luminância homogênea. Os resultados mostraram um efeito de interação para as frequências espaciais lineares [F(3, 93) = 6,0814, p = 0,0008], o test post-hoc Newmann Kels mostrou diferença significante na frequência de 0,5 cpg. Os resultados para as frequências angulares mostraram um efeito de interação marginalmente significante. As análises com post-hoc mostraram uma diferença marginalmente significante para frequência de 2 ciclos/360º. Esses resultados sugerem alterações na SC de pacientes com depressão maior medicados / The present study aimed to investigate potential changes in visual perception related to major depression. Then, we measure of contrast sensitivity (CS), one of the most used tools to study the humans visual system. The CS has established itself as one tool that allows to study and identify how certain diseases affect the vision and the central nervous system. The study included 33 volunteers aged between 19 and 37 years and they are normal or corrected visual acuity. 11 were diagnosed with major depressive disorder according to DSM-IV and were treated with antidepressants (Depression Group - DG). The other 22 were free of neuropsychiatric disease and were in good health (Control Group - CG). The CS was measured using the psychophysical method of forced choice between two temporal alternatives (2AF). Were tested linear spatial frequencies of 0.5, 2.5, 10 and 20 cycles per degree of visual angle (cpd) and the angular frequencies of 2, 4, 24, 48 and 96 cycles/360º. The stimuli were circular and were presented on a video monitor LG 19-inch RGB (screen resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels at 75 Hz) connected to a microcomputer and a BITS + + (Cambridge Research Systems). The average luminance of the display was 41.05 cd / m² measured by a photometer ColorCal (Cambridge Research Systems). The measurements were performed at a distance of 300 cm from the monitor screen. The stimuli were displayed in successive pairs, with a frequency tested (linear or angular) and the other was a gray circle with uniform luminance. Participants were instructed to press the left mouses button when the test stimulus was presented first, and the right button when the stimulus was presented second. The results showed an interaction effect for the linear spatial frequency [F (3, 93) = 6.0814, p = 0.0008], the test post-hoc Newmann Kels showed significant difference in frequency of 0.5 cpd. The results for the angular frequencies showed a marginally significant effect of interaction. The analyzes with post-hoc showed a marginally significant difference for frequency of 2 cycles/360º. These results suggest changes in the CS of patients with major depression medicated