[Psych3120] (no subject)

[mobiaz@excite.com]

I have taken a few classes that have discussed color blindness so I will try
to offer what I know.  

In the eye there are the cones and rods.  The cones are what is responsible
for color vision.  Furthermore, there are three types of cones each with a
different pigment.  These pigments allow different cones to respond to
different wavelengths of light.  For example, there is a red, green and I
think a blue pigment.  These pigments either excite or inhibit the ganglion
nerves and allow us to see the spectrum of colors.  Now when there is a
genetic defect in the pigments it can result in color blindness.  Therefore,
Your dad probably has a defect in the gene that encodes for the red pigment
that would allow him to see the color, but not defective with respect to the
blue pigment which is involved with seeing yellow.  Thus, people who are
color blind most deffinitly have cones within the fovea, however, some of
them are defective due to their faulty pigments.  With respect to color
blindness coming from the mothers side, The gene for color blindness is
probably an X linked gene which would make it more prevelent in males.  I am
not sure if it is exclusive to males though.  I think that because males
only have one X chromosome that it probably is just much more frequent in
males than in females.  



On Thu, 31 Aug 2000 12:58:38 -0600 (MDT), psych3120@lists.csbs.utah.edu
wrote:

>  My dad is colorblind.  He can see yellow but not red, which makes it
>  difficult at traffic stoplights.  In the lecture on Tuesday, we discussed
>  the opponent process and the color circle.  I was wondering, if people
>  with color vision get the color circle, what do people who are colorblind
>  have and why are they able to see some colors but not others?  I was also
>  wondering, do people who are colorblind have any cones in the fovea?  I
>  heard that colorblindness is due to heredity from the mother and that
only 
>  males get it.  Is this true?
>  Amy Cahoon 00077943
>  
>  
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