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

D Ress; B T Backus; D J Heeger

doi:10.1038/78856

Home/Archive/PubMed

PubMed · 10966626

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

D Ress·B T Backus·D J Heeger

View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Visual attention can affect both neural activity and behavior in humans. To quantify possible links between the two, we measured activity in early visual cortex (V1, V2 and V3) during a challenging pattern-detection task. Activity was dominated by a large response that was independent of the presence or absence of the stimulus pattern. The measured activity quantitatively predicted the subject's pattern-detection performance: when activity was greater, the subject was more likely to correctly discern the presence or absence of the pattern. This stimulus-independent activity had several characteristics of visual attention, suggesting that attentional mechanisms modulate activity in early visual cortex, and that this attention-related activity strongly influences performance.

Explore related subjects

Action Potentials Attention Humans Neurons Neuropsychological Tests Pattern Recognition, Visual Psychomotor Performance Visual Cortex Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeX RIS

D Ress, B T Backus, D J Heeger. 2000. Activity in primary visual cortex predicts performance in a visual detection task.. https://doi.org/10.1038/78856

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related citations

PubMed2002

Repolarization of the presynaptic action potential and short-term synaptic plasticity in the chick ciliary ganglion.

Stimulation-induced increases in synaptic efficacy have been described as being composed of multiple independent processes that arise from the activation of distinct mechanisms at the presynaptic terminal. In the chick ciliary ganglion, four components of short-term synaptic plasticity have been described: F1 and F2 components of facilitation, augmentation, and potentiation. In the present study, intracellular recording from the presynaptic calyciform nerve terminal of the chick ciliary ganglion revealed that the late repolarization and afterhypolarization (AHP) phases of the presynaptic action potential are affected by repetitive stimulation and that the time course of these effects parallel that of facilitation. The effects of these changes in the presynaptic action potential time course on calcium influx were tested by using the recorded action potential waveforms as voltage command stimuli during whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from acutely isolated chick ciliary ganglion neurons. The "facilitated" action potential waveform (slowed repolarization, decreased AHP amplitude) evoked calcium current with slightly but significantly greater total calcium influx. Taken together, these results are consistent with the hypothesis that activity-dependent changes in the presynaptic action potential are one of several mechanisms contributing to the facilitation phase of stimulation-induced increases in transmitter release in this preparation.

Action Potentials↗

PubMed2002

Effect of muscle length on the recruitment property of single motor units in humans.

In order to examine the effect of muscle length on the recruitment property of a single motor unit (MU), the action potentials of the MU in the human gastrocnemius muscle were recorded during voluntary isometric contraction at different knee joint angles. We found that the recruitment property of MU, which is determined by relationship of recruitment threshold torque (T-th) and ramp contraction speeds, changed as the knee joint angle was changed from 0 degrees to 90 degrees. The decrease of T-th with contraction speed occurred only when the muscle was held long. This result indicates that the MU recruitment property, which decrease of T-th with higher contraction speed, needs both central command and Ia inputs to the alpha-motoneuron.

Action Potentials↗

PubMed2002

Spread of discrete structural changes in synthetic polyanionic gel: a model of propagation of a nerve impulse.

Thin fibers of cross-linked polyacrylate gel were prepared by inducing polymerization reaction inside long glass or Tygon tubings. By immersing these gel fibers in salt solutions containing both Ca(2+) and Na(+) at varying ratios, a discontinuous transition from the swollen state to the shrunken was demonstrated. A very sharp boundary was observed between the swollen and shrunken portions of the gel fiber. It was found possible to displace this sharp boundary continuously by application of a weak electric current. Based on the similarity in swelling behavior between nerve fibers and synthetic gel fibers, a non-myelinated nerve fiber carrying an impulse was treated as a cylindrical gel layer consisting of two distinct portions, a swollen (active) portion connected directly to the remaining shrunken (resting) portion. By applying the cable theory to this model of the nerve fiber, mathematical expressions describing the conduction velocity, the maximum rate of potential rise, etc. in terms of the electric parameters of the fiber were derived.

Action Potentials↗