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| Research article summary (published 9 Feb 2009): |
Adaptive estimation of three-dimensional structure in the human brain.
Full Abstract
Perceiving the three-dimensional (3D) properties of the environment relies on the brain bringing together ambiguous cues (e.g., binocular disparity, shading, texture) with information gained from short- and long-term experience. Perceptual aftereffects, in which the perception of an ambiguous 3D stimulus is biased away from the shape of a previously viewed stimulus, provide a sensitive means of probing this process, yet little is known about their neural basis. Here, we investigate 3D aftereffects using psychophysical and functional MRI (fMRI) adaptation paradigms to gain insight into the cortical circuits that mediate the perceptual interpretation of ambiguous depth signals. Using two classic bistable stimuli (Mach card, kinetic depth effect), we test aftereffects produced by 3D shapes defined by binocular (disparity) or monocular (texture, shading) depth cues. We show that the processing of ambiguous 3D stimuli in dorsal visual cortical areas (V3B/KO, V7) and posterior parietal regions is modulated by adaptation in line with perceptual aftereffects. Similar behavioral and fMRI adaptation effects for the two types of bistable stimuli suggest common neural substrates for depth aftereffects independent of the inducing depth cues (disparity, texture, shading). In line with current thinking about the role of adaptation in sensory optimization, our findings provide evidence that estimation of 3D shape in dorsal cortical areas takes account of the adaptive context to resolve depth ambiguity and interpret 3D structure.
Author information
Author/s: Preston, Tim J (TJ); Kourtzi, Zoe (Z); Welchman, Andrew E (AE);
Affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
Grants: C520620 (Agency:Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council) ; D52199X (Agency:Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council)
Journal and publication information
Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Journal: The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience (J Neurosci), published in United States. (Language: eng)
Reference: 2009-Feb; vol 29 (issue 6) : pp 1688-98
Dates: Created 2009/02/12; Completed 2009/03/06;
PMID: 19211876, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 3/10/2009, IMS Date: 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00)
Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.
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