A rodent model for visual masking

Visual masking is an illusion in which the visibility of a briefly presented stimulus is reduced or eliminated. Thus, even though a stimulus is physically present, it is not visually perceived. The phenomenon provides the opportunity to investigate the neuronal mechanisms associated with the development of visual perception. This thesis examines the neuronal and perceptual consequences of visual masking in a rodent model. It reports that the properties of perceptual masking in rodents are different to those observed in humans.