Toggle Main Menu Toggle Search

Open Access padlockePrints

Suppressive Lateral Interactions at Parafoveal Representations in Primary Visual Cortex

Lookup NU author(s): Jose Herrero, Professor Alexander Thiele

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.


Abstract

The perceptual salience and visibility of image elements is influenced by other elements in their vicinity. The perceptual effect of image elements on an adjacent target element depends on their relative orientation. Collinear flanking elements usually improve sensitivity for the target element, whereas orthogonal elements have a weaker effect. It is believed that the collinear flankers exert these effects through lateral interactions between neurons in the primary visual cortex (area V1), but the precise mechanisms underlying these contextual interactions remain unknown. Here, we directly examined this question by recording the effects of flankers on the responses of V1 neurons at parafoveal representations while monkeys performed a fixation task or a contrast detection task. We found, unexpectedly, that collinear flankers reduce the monkeys' perceptual sensitivity for a central target element. This behavioral effect was explained by a flanker-induced increase in the activity of V1 neurons in the absence of the central target stimulus, which reduced the amplitude of the target response. Our results indicate that the dominant effect of collinear flankers in parafoveal vision is suppression and suggest that these suppressive effects are caused by a decrease in the dynamic range of neurons coding the central target.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Pooresmaeili A, Herrero JL, Self MW, Roelfsema PR, Thiele A

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Journal of Neuroscience

Year: 2010

Volume: 30

Issue: 38

Pages: 12745-12758

Print publication date: 22/09/2010

ISSN (print): 0270-6474

ISSN (electronic): 1529-2401

Publisher: Society for Neuroscience

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.6071-09.2010

DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.6071-09.2010


Altmetrics

Altmetrics provided by Altmetric


Share