Final answer:
Sensitivity changes during light and dark adaptation are influenced by the activity of rods and cones in the eye, the autonomic system's control of pupil size, signal processing within the retina, and the circadian rhythm signaling by photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
The changes in sensitivity during light and dark adaptation are influenced by the functioning of different photoreceptors in the eye, such as rods and cones, and by the nervous system. Rods are more sensitive in low light and take time to adjust when moving from brightly lit to dimly lit environments, resulting in night blindness if they do not function properly.
Cones provide vision in bright light and are less active in the dark. Furthermore, the autonomic system controls the amount of light reaching the retina, with the sympathetic response increasing pupil diameter in bright conditions, and the parasympathetic reducing it in darkness to allow photoreceptor regeneration for visual perception.
Signal processing occurring in the eye also contributes to adaptation, with the eye making comparisons between adjacent light receptors and being particularly sensitive to edges, which aids in perceiving contrasts during changes in light conditions.
Additionally, photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells (RGCs) respond to light presence, playing a role in the circadian rhythm by signaling day length, which is not directly related to image perception but to the internal perception of the daily cycle of light and dark.