Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) reduce their light sensitivity during persistent high-contrast stimulation to prevent saturation to strong inputs and improve coding efficiency. This process is known as contrast adaptation. However, contrast adaptation also reduces RGCs’ light response to weak inputs. On the other hand, some RGCs undergo contrast sensitization, and these RGCs respond to weak inputs following high contrast stimulation. In the present study, multi-electrode recordings were conducted on isolated mouse retinas under full-field visual stimulation with different contrast levels. Adaptation and sensitization were mainly observed in OFF and ON pathways, respectively. The results of linear–nonlinear analysis and stimulus reconstruction revealed that both the light sensitivity and encoded information were changed in opposite directions in adaptation and sensitization processes. Our work suggests that contrast adaptation and sensitization are two opposite dynamic processes. In mouse retina, OFF RGCs utilize adaptation to increase the discrimination of strong OFF inputs. On the other hand, ON RGCs use sensitization to increase the sensitivity to weak ON inputs. This functional differentiation might be meaningful for the mouse’s survival as it lives in environments in which strong OFF stimuli often indicate potential predators while weak ON stimuli are usually related to movement and might be important for predation.

视网膜神经节细胞 (RGC) 在持续的高对比度刺激期间会降低其光敏感性，以防止强输入饱和并提高编码效率。这个过程被称为对比度适应。然而，对比度适应也会降低 RGC 对弱输入的光响应。另一方面，一些 RGC 会发生对比敏化，并且这些 RGC 在高对比刺激后对微弱的输入做出反应。在本研究中，在具有不同对比度水平的全视野视觉刺激下，对离体的小鼠视网膜进行了多电极记录。适应和敏化主要分别在 OFF 和 ON 通路中观察到。线性-非线性分析和刺激重建的结果表明，在适应和敏化过程中，光敏感度和编码信息都发生了相反的变化。我们的工作表明对比适应和敏化是两个相反的动态过程。在小鼠视网膜中，OFF RGC 利用适应性来增加对强 OFF 输入的辨别力。另一方面，ON RGC 使用敏化来增加对弱 ON 输入的灵敏度。这种功能分化可能对老鼠的生存有意义，因为它生活在强烈的 OFF 刺激通常表明潜在的捕食者的环境中，而弱的 ON 刺激通常与运动有关并且可能对捕食很重要。我们的工作表明对比适应和敏化是两个相反的动态过程。在小鼠视网膜中，OFF RGC 利用适应性来增加对强 OFF 输入的辨别力。另一方面，ON RGC 使用敏化来增加对弱 ON 输入的灵敏度。这种功能分化可能对老鼠的生存有意义，因为它生活在强烈的 OFF 刺激通常表明潜在的捕食者的环境中，而弱的 ON 刺激通常与运动有关并且可能对捕食很重要。我们的工作表明对比适应和敏化是两个相反的动态过程。在小鼠视网膜中，OFF RGC 利用适应性来增加对强 OFF 输入的辨别力。另一方面，ON RGC 使用敏化来增加对弱 ON 输入的灵敏度。这种功能分化可能对老鼠的生存有意义，因为它生活在强烈的 OFF 刺激通常表明潜在的捕食者的环境中，而弱的 ON 刺激通常与运动有关并且可能对捕食很重要。