This excitatory signal, however, will only be transmitted by the rod cells in the center of the ganglion cell receptive field to ganglion cells because horizontal cells respond by sending an inhibitory signal to the neighboring rods to create a balance that allows mammals to perceive more vivid images. The central rod will send the light signals directly to bipolar cells which in turn will relay the signal to the ganglion cells. Amacrine cells also produce lateral inhibition to bipolar cells and ganglion cells to perform various visual computations including image sharpening. The final visual signals will be sent to the thalamus and cerebral cortex, where additional lateral inhibition occurs.