Activity in primary visual cortex predicts performance in a visual detection task

10.1038/78856 ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 3 (9) ◽  
pp. 940-945 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Ress ◽  
Benjamin T. Backus ◽  
David J. Heeger
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Primary Visual Cortex ◽  
Visual Detection ◽  
Detection Task

scholarly journals Bottom-up saliency and top-down learning in the primary visual cortex of monkeys

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (41) ◽  
pp. 10499-10504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yin Yan ◽  
Li Zhaoping ◽  
Wu Li
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Primary Visual Cortex ◽  
Detection Task ◽  
Late Response ◽  
Late Component ◽  
Neuronal Responses ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Response Component ◽  
Orientation Contrast

Early sensory cortex is better known for representing sensory inputs but less for the effect of its responses on behavior. Here we explore the behavioral correlates of neuronal responses in primary visual cortex (V1) in a task to detect a uniquely oriented bar—the orientation singleton—in a background of uniformly oriented bars. This singleton is salient or inconspicuous when the orientation contrast between the singleton and background bars is sufficiently large or small, respectively. Using implanted microelectrodes, we measured V1 activities while monkeys were trained to quickly saccade to the singleton. A neuron’s responses to the singleton within its receptive field had an early and a late component, both increased with the orientation contrast. The early component started from the outset of neuronal responses; it remained unchanged before and after training on the singleton detection. The late component started ∼40 ms after the early one; it emerged and evolved with practicing the detection task. Training increased the behavioral accuracy and speed of singleton detection and increased the amount of information in the late response component about a singleton’s presence or absence. Furthermore, for a given singleton, faster detection performance was associated with higher V1 responses; training increased this behavioral–neural correlate in the early V1 responses but decreased it in the late V1 responses. Therefore, V1’s early responses are directly linked with behavior and represent the bottom-up saliency signals. Learning strengthens this link, likely serving as the basis for making the detection task more reflexive and less top-down driven.

scholarly journals Axonal plasticity associated with perceptual learning in adult macaque primary visual cortex

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (41) ◽  
pp. 10464-10469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timo van Kerkoerle ◽  
Sally A. Marik ◽  
Stephan Meyer zum Alten Borgloh ◽  
Charles D. Gilbert
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Perceptual Learning ◽  
Primary Visual Cortex ◽  
Detection Task ◽  
Contour Detection ◽  
Cortical Lesion ◽  
Axon Collaterals ◽  
Horizontal Connections ◽  
Cortical Regions ◽  
Axonal Arbors

Perceptual learning is associated with changes in the functional properties of neurons even in primary sensory areas. In macaque monkeys trained to perform a contour detection task, we have observed changes in contour-related facilitation of neuronal responses in primary visual cortex that track their improvement in performance on a contour detection task. We have previously explored the anatomical substrate of experience-dependent changes in the visual cortex based on a retinal lesion model, where we find sprouting and pruning of the axon collaterals in the cortical lesion projection zone. Here, we attempted to determine whether similar changes occur under normal visual experience, such as that associated with perceptual learning. We labeled the long-range horizontal connections in visual cortex by virally mediated transfer of genes expressing fluorescent probes, which enabled us to do longitudinal two-photon imaging of axonal arbors over the period during which animals improve in contour detection performance. We found that there are substantial changes in the axonal arbors of neurons in cortical regions representing the trained part of the visual field, with sprouting of new axon collaterals and pruning of preexisting axon collaterals. Our findings indicate that changes in the structure of axonal arbors are part of the circuit-level mechanism of perceptual learning, and further support the idea that the learned information is encoded at least in part in primary visual cortex.

scholarly journals Distinct waking states for strong evoked responses in primary visual cortex and optimal visual detection performance

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garrett T. Neske ◽  
David A. McCormick
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Primary Visual Cortex ◽  
Visual Detection ◽  
Detection Performance ◽  
Neuronal Membrane ◽  
Evoked Responses ◽  
Perceptual Decision Making ◽  
Full Spectrum ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
And Behavior

AbstractVariability in cortical neuronal responses to sensory stimuli and in perceptual decision making performance is substantial. Moment-to-moment fluctuations in waking state or arousal can account for much of this variability. Yet, the nature of this variability across the full spectrum of waking states is often not completely characterized, leaving the characteristics of the optimal state for sensory processing unresolved. Using pupillometry in concert with extracellular multiunit and intracellular whole-cell recordings, we found that the magnitude and reliability of visually evoked responses in primary visual cortex (V1) of awake, passively behaving male mice increase as a function of arousal and are largest during sustained locomotion periods. During these high-arousal, sustained locomotion periods, cortical neuronal membrane potential was at its most depolarized and least variable. Contrastingly, behavioral performance of mice on two distinct visual detection tasks was generally best at a range of intermediate arousal levels, but worst during locomotion. These results suggest that large, reliable responses to visual stimuli in V1 occur at a distinct arousal level from that associated with optimal visual detection performance. Our results clarify the relation between neuronal responsiveness and the continuum of waking states, and suggest new complexities in the relation between primary sensory cortical activity and behavior.

scholarly journals Distinct Waking States for Strong Evoked Responses in Primary Visual Cortex and Optimal Visual Detection Performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (50) ◽  
pp. 10044-10059 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garrett T. Neske ◽  
Dennis Nestvogel ◽  
Paul J. Steffan ◽  
David A. McCormick
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Primary Visual Cortex ◽  
Visual Detection ◽  
Detection Performance ◽  
Evoked Responses
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