Contrast sensitivity functions reveal information about a subject’s overall visual ability and have been investigated in several species of nonhuman primates (NHPs) with experimentally induced amblyopia and glaucoma. However, there are no published studies comparing contrast sensitivity functions across these species of normal NHPs. The purpose of this investigation was to compare contrast sensitivity across these primates to determine whether they are similar. Ten normal humans and eight normal NHPs (Macaca fascicularis) took part in this project. Previously published data from Macaca mulatta and Macaca nemestrina were also compared. Threshold was operationally defined as two misses in a row for a descending method of limits. A similar paradigm was used for the humans except that the descending method of limits was combined with a spatial, two-alternative forced choice (2-AFC) technique. The contrast sensitivity functions were fit with a double exponential function. The averaged peak contrast sensitivity, peak spatial frequency, acuity, and area under the curve for the humans were 268.9, 3.40 cpd, 27.3 cpd, and 2345.4 and for the Macaca fascicularis were 99.2, 3.93 cpd, 26.1 cpd, and 980.9. A two-sample t-test indicated that the peak contrast sensitivities (P = 0.001) and areas under the curve (P = 0.010) were significantly different. The peak spatial frequencies (P = 0.150) and the extrapolated visual acuities (P = 0.763) were not different. The contrast sensitivities for the Macaca fascicularis, Macaca mulatta, and Macaca nemestrina were qualitatively and quantitatively similar. The contrast sensitivity functions for the NHPs had lower peak contrast sensitivities and areas under the curve than the humans. Even though different methods have been used to measure contrast sensitivity in different species of NHP, the functions are similar. The contrast sensitivity differences and similarities between humans and NHPs need to be considered when using NHPs to study human disease.

中文翻译：

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猕猴和人类对比敏感度的比较

对比敏感度函数揭示了有关受试者整体视觉能力的信息，并已在几种患有实验性弱视和青光眼的非人类灵长类动物 (NHP) 中进行了研究。然而，没有发表的研究比较这些正常 NHP 物种的对比敏感度函数。这项调查的目的是比较这些灵长类动物的对比敏​​感度，以确定它们是否相似。十个正常人和八个正常 NHP（食蟹猴) 参与了这个项目。此前公布的数据来自猕猴桃和猕猴桃也进行了比较。阈值在操作上被定义为连续两次未命中限制的递减方法。人类使用了类似的范式，除了限制的下降方法与空间、两种选择的强制选择 (2-AFC) 技术相结合。对比敏感度函数符合双指数函数。人类的平均峰值对比敏感度、峰值空间频率、敏锐度和曲线下面积分别为 268.9、3.40 cpd、27.3 cpd 和 2345.4。食蟹猴分别为 99.2、3.93 cpd、26.1 cpd 和 980.9。两个样本吨-测试表明峰值对比敏感度（磷= 0.001) 和曲线下面积 (磷= 0.010）显着不同。峰值空间频率（磷= 0.150）和外推视力（磷= 0.763) 没有不同。对比敏感度为食蟹猴,猕猴桃， 和猕猴桃在质量和数量上是相似的。NHPs 的对比敏感度函数的峰值对比敏感度和曲线下面积低于人类。尽管已经使用不同的方法来测量不同种类 NHP 的对比敏感度，但功能是相似的。在使用 NHP 研究人类疾病时，需要考虑人类和 NHP 之间的对比敏感度差异和相似之处。