Privileged Processing of the Straight-Ahead Direction in Primate Area V1

Gaze direction modulates the gain of neurons in most of the visual cortex, including the primary visual (V1) area. These gain modulations are thought to support a mechanism involved in the spatial localization of objects. In the present study, we show that part of them may reflect an additional func...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neuron (Cambridge, Mass.) Mass.), 2010-04, Vol.66 (1), p.126-137
Main Authors: Durand, Jean-Baptiste, Trotter, Yves, Celebrini, Simona
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis of Variance
Animals
Brain
Confidence intervals
Evoked Potentials, Visual - physiology
Experiments
Fixation, Ocular - physiology
Influence
Life Sciences
Macaca mulatta
Neurons
Neurons and Cognition
Population
Space Perception - physiology
Standard deviation
SYSNEURO
Visual Cortex - physiology
Visual Fields - physiology
Visual Perception - physiology
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Gaze direction modulates the gain of neurons in most of the visual cortex, including the primary visual (V1) area. These gain modulations are thought to support a mechanism involved in the spatial localization of objects. In the present study, we show that part of them may reflect an additional function: enhancing the visual processing of the objects located straight ahead. Using single- and multiunit recordings in behaving macaques, we found that in peripheral V1, the gain of most neurons increases as their receptive fields (RF) are brought closer to the straight-ahead direction by changing the direction of gaze. No such tendency was observed in central V1, although the influence of gaze direction is similar in term of strength. This previously unknown organization of the gaze-related gain modulations might insure that objects located straight ahead still receive a privileged processing during eccentric fixation, reflecting the ecological importance of this particular egocentric direction. ► Gaze-related gain modulations occur in both central and peripheral V1 neurons ► Gain modulations show a specific organization in peripheral V1 ► Higher gains are encountered when the neurons RF are located straight ahead ► This organization leads to a privileged processing of objects located straight ahead
ISSN:0896-6273
1097-4199
DOI:10.1016/j.neuron.2010.03.014