Work

Clarifying the role of higher-level cortices in resolving perceptual ambiguity using ultra high field fMRI

Year: 2020

Type: article

Abstract: The brain is organized into distinct, flexible networks. Within these networks, cognitive variables such as attention can modulate sensory representations in accordance with moment-to-moment behavioral requirements. These modulations can be studied by varying task demands; however, the tasks employed are often incongruent with the postulated functions of a sensory system, limiting the characterization of the system in relation to natural behaviors. Here we combine domain-specific task manipulations and ultra-high field fMRI to study the nature of top-down modulations. We exploited faces, a visual category underpinned by a complex cortical network, and instructed participants to perform either a stimulus-relevant/domain-specific or a stimulus-irrelevant task in the scanner. We found that 1. perceptual ambiguity (i.e. difficulty of achieving a stable percept) is encoded in top-down modulations from higher-level cortices; 2. the right inferior-temporal lobe is active under challenging conditions and uniquely encodes trial-by-trial variability in face perception.

Source: NeuroImage

DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117654

Authors: Logan T. Dowdle, Geoffrey Ghose, Kamil Ugurbil, Essa Yacoub, Luca Vizioli

Institution: University of Minnesota

Language: English

Topic: Face Recognition and Perception

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,000

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering