Storage of an oculomotor motion aftereffect

Dissociating representations of affect and motion in visual cortices

While a delicious dessert being presented to us may elicit strong feelings of happiness and excitement, the same treat falling slowly away can lead to sadness and disappointment. Our emotional response to the item depends on its visual motion direction. Despite this importance, it remains unclear whether (and how) cortical areas devoted to decoding motion direction represents or integrates emotion with perceived motion direction. Motion-selective visual area V5/MT+ sits, both functionally and anatomically, at the nexus of dorsal and ventral visual streams. These pathways, however, differ in how they are modulated by emotional cues. The current study was designed to disentangle how emotion and motion perception interact, as well as use emotion-dependent modulation of visual cortices to understand the relation of V5/MT+ to canonical processing streams. During functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), approaching, receding, or static motion after-effects (MAEs) were induced on stationary positive, negative, and neutral stimuli. An independent localizer scan was conducted to identify the visual-motion area V5/MT+. Through univariate and multivariate analyses, we demonstrated that emotion representations in V5/MT+ share a more similar response profile to that observed in ventral visual than dorsal, visual structures. Specifically, V5/MT+ and ventral structures were sensitive to the emotional content of visual stimuli, whereas dorsal visual structures were not. Overall, this work highlights the critical role of V5/MT+ in the representation and processing of visually acquired emotional content. It further suggests a role for this region in utilizing affectively salient visual information to augment motion perception of biologically relevant stimuli.

A dynamical model of visual motion processing for arbitrary stimuli including type II plaids

To explore the operating principle of visual motion processing in the brain underlying perception and eye movements, we model the information processing of velocity estimate of the visual stimulus at the algorithmic level using the dynamical system approach. In this study, we formulate the model as an optimization process of an appropriately defined objective function. The model is applicable to arbitrary visual stimuli. We find that our theoretical predictions qualitatively agree with time evolution of eye movement reported by previous works across various types of stimulus. Our results suggest that the brain implements the present framework as the internal model of motion vision. We anticipate our model to be a promising building block for more profound understanding of visual motion processing as well as for the development of robotics.

The stereoscopic advantage for vection persists despite reversed disparity

Research has shown that consistent stereoscopic information improves the vection (i.e. illusions of self-motion) induced in stationary observers. This study investigates the effects of placing stereoscopic information into direct conflict with monocular motion signals by swapping the observer's left and right eye views to reverse disparity. Experiments compared the vection induced by stereo-consistent, stereo-reversed and flat-stereo patterns of: (1) same-size optic flow, which contained monocular motion perspective information about self-motion, and (2) changing-size optic flow, which provided additional monocular information about motion-in-depth based on local changes in object image sizes. As expected, consistent stereoscopic information improved the vection-in-depth induced by both changing-size and same-size patterns of optic flow. Unexpectedly, stereo-reversed patterns of same-size optic flow also induced stronger vection-in-depth than flat-stereo patterns of same-size optic flow. The effects of stereo-consistent and stereo-reversed information on vection strength were found to correlate reliably with their effects on perceived motion-in-depth and motion after-effect durations, but not with their effects on perceived scene depth. This suggests that stereo-consistent and stereo-reversed advantages for vection were both due to effects on perceived motion-in-depth. The current findings clearly demonstrate that stereoscopic information does not need to be consistent with monocular motion signals in order to improve vection. When taken together with past findings, they suggest that stereoscopic information only needs to be dynamic (as opposed to static) in order to improve vection-in-depth.

Adaptation aftereffects influence the perception of specific emotions from walking gait

We investigated the existence and nature of adaptation aftereffects on the visual perception of basic emotions displayed through walking gait. Stimuli were previously validated gender-ambiguous point-light walker models displaying various basic emotions (happy, sad, anger and fear). Results indicated that both facilitative and inhibitive aftereffects influenced the perception of all displayed emotions. Facilitative aftereffects were found between theoretically opposite emotions (i.e. happy/sad and anger/fear). Evidence suggested that low-level and high-level visual processes contributed to both stimulus aftereffect and conceptual aftereffect mechanisms. Significant aftereffects were more frequently evident for the time required to identify the displayed emotion than for emotion identification rates. The perception of basic emotions from walking gait is influenced by a number of different perceptual mechanisms which shift the categorical boundaries of each emotion as a result of perceptual experience.

Ocular torsion is related to perceived motion-induced position shifts

Ocular torsion (i.e., rotations of the eye about the line of sight) can be induced by visual rotational motion. It remains unclear whether and how such visually induced torsion is related to perception. By using the flash-grab effect, an illusory position shift of a briefly flashed stationary target superimposed on a rotating pattern, we examined the relationship between torsion and perception. In two experiments, 25 observers reported the perceived location of a flash while their three-dimensional eye movements were recorded. In Experiment 1, the flash coincided with a direction reversal of a large, centrally displayed, rotating grating. The grating triggered visually induced torsion in the direction of stimulus rotation. The magnitude of torsional eye rotation correlated with the illusory perceptual position shift. To test whether torsion caused the illusion, in Experiment 2, the flash was superimposed on two peripheral gratings rotating in opposite directions. Even though torsion was eliminated, the illusory position shift persisted. Despite the lack of a causal relationship, the torsion-perception correlations indicate a close link between both systems, either through similar visual-input processing or a boost of visual rotational signal strength via oculomotor feedback.

Functional correlate and delineated connectivity pattern of human motion aftereffect responses substantiate a subjacent visual-vestibular interaction

The visual motion aftereffect (MAE) is the most prominent aftereffect in the visual system. Regarding its function, psychophysical studies suggest its function to be a form of sensory error correction, possibly also triggered by incongruent visual-vestibular stimulation. Several observational imaging experiments have deducted an essential role for region MT+ in the perception of a visual MAE but not provided conclusive evidence. Potential confounders with the MAE such as ocular motor performance, attention, and vection sensations have also never been controlled for. Aim of this neuroimaging study was to delineate the neural correlates of MAE and its subjacent functional connectivity pattern. A rotational MAE (n = 22) was induced using differing visual stimuli whilst modulating ocular motor parameters in a 3T scanner. Data was analyzed with SPM12. Eye movements as a response to the same stimuli were studied by means of high-resolution videooculography. Analysis for all stimuli gave bilateral activations along the dorsal visual stream with an emphasis on area MT. The onset of a visual MAE revealed an additional response in the right medial superior temporal area (MST) and a concurrent deactivation of vestibular hub region OP2. There was no correlation for the BOLD effects during the MAE with either ocular motor or attention parameters. The functional correlate of a visual MAE in humans may be represented in the interaction between region MT and area MST. This MAE representation is independent of a potential afternystagmus, attention and the presence of egomotion sensations. Connectivity analyses showed that in the event of conflicting visual-vestibular motion information (here MAE) area MST and area OP2 may act as the relevant mediating network hubs.

Sustained Rhythmic Brain Activity Underlies Visual Motion Perception in Zebrafish

Following moving visual stimuli (conditioning stimuli, CS), many organisms perceive, in the absence of physical stimuli, illusory motion in the opposite direction. This phenomenon is known as the motion aftereffect (MAE). Here, we use MAE as a tool to study the neuronal basis of visual motion perception in zebrafish larvae. Using zebrafish eye movements as an indicator of visual motion perception, we find that larvae perceive MAE. Blocking eye movements using optogenetics during CS presentation did not affect MAE, but tectal ablation significantly weakened it. Using two-photon calcium imaging of behaving GCaMP3 larvae, we find post-stimulation sustained rhythmic activity among direction-selective tectal neurons associated with the perception of MAE. In addition, tectal neurons tuned to the CS direction habituated, but neurons in the retina did not. Finally, a model based on competition between direction-selective neurons reproduced MAE, suggesting a neuronal circuit capable of generating perception of visual motion.

Emotional Actions Are Coded via Two Mechanisms: With and without Identity Representation

Accurate perception of an individual's identity and emotion derived from their actions and behavior is essential for successful social functioning. Here we determined the role of identity in the representation of emotional whole-body actions using visual adaptation paradigms. Participants adapted to actors performing different whole-body actions in a happy and sad fashion. Following adaptation subsequent neutral actions appeared to convey the opposite emotion. We demonstrate two different emotional action aftereffects showing distinctive adaptation characteristics. For one short-lived aftereffect, adaptation to the emotion expressed by an individual resulted in biases in the perception of the expression of emotion by other individuals, indicating an identity-independent representation of emotional actions. A second, longer lasting, aftereffect was observed where adaptation to the emotion expressed by an individual resulted in longer-term biases in the perception of the expressions of emotion only by the same individual; this indicated an additional identity-dependent representation of emotional actions. Together, the presence of these two aftereffects indicates the existence of two mechanisms for coding emotional actions, only one of which takes into account the actor's identity. The results that we observe might parallel processing of emotion from face and voice.

Afternystagmus in darkness after suppression of optokinetic nystagmus: an interaction of motion aftereffect and retinal afterimages

The afternystagmus that occurs in the dark after gaze fixation during optokinetic stimulation is directed in the opposite direction relative to the previous optokinetic stimulus. The mechanism responsible for such afternystagmus after suppression of optokinetic nystagmus (ASOKN) is unclear. Several hypotheses have been put forward to explain it, but none is conclusive. We hypothesized that ASOKN is driven by the interaction of two mechanisms: (1) motion-aftereffect (MAE)-induced eye movements and (2) retinal afterimages (RAIs) produced by fixation during the suppression of optokinetic nystagmus (OKN). We examined the correlation among ASOKN, MAE-induced eye movements, and RAIs in healthy subjects. Adapting stimuli consisted of moving random dot patterns and a fixation spot and their brightness was adjusted to induce different RAI durations. Test patterns were a stationary random dot pattern (to test for the presence of a MAE), a dim homogeneous background (to test for MAE driven eye movements), and a black background (to test for ASOKN and RAIs). MAEs were reported by 16 out of 17 subjects, but only 7 out of 17 subjects demonstrated MAE-induced eye movements. Importantly, ASOKN was only found when these seven subjects reported a RAI after suppression of OKN. Moreover, the duration of ASOKN was longer for high-brightness stimuli compared with low-brightness stimuli, just as RAIs persist longer with increasing brightness. We conclude that ASOKN results from the interaction of MAE-induced eye movements and RAIs.

Mental Rotation Meets the Motion Aftereffect: The Role of hV5/MT+ in Visual Mental Imagery

A growing number of studies show that visual mental imagery recruits the same brain areas as visual perception. Although the necessity of hV5/MT+ for motion perception has been revealed by means of TMS, its relevance for motion imagery remains unclear. We induced a direction-selective adaptation in hV5/MT+ by means of an MAE while subjects performed a mental rotation task that elicits imagined motion. We concurrently measured behavioral performance and neural activity with fMRI, enabling us to directly assess the effect of a perturbation of hV5/MT+ on other cortical areas involved in the mental rotation task. The activity in hV5/MT+ increased as more mental rotation was required, and the perturbation of hV5/MT+ affected behavioral performance as well as the neural activity in this area. Moreover, several regions in the posterior parietal cortex were also affected by this perturbation. Our results show that hV5/MT+ is required for imagined visual motion and engages in an interaction with parietal cortex during this cognitive process.

The effects of prolonged viewing of motion on short-latency ocular following responses

The adaptive effects of prolonged viewing of conditioning motion on ocular following responses (OFRs) elicited by brief test motion of a random-dot pattern were studied in humans. We found that the OFRs were significantly reduced when the directions of the conditioning and test motions were the same. The effect of conditioning motion was still observed when the speeds of the conditioning and test motions did not match. The effect was larger when the conditioning duration was longer, and decayed over time with increased temporal separation between the conditioning and test periods. These results are consistent with the characteristics of motion adaptation on the initial smooth pursuit responses. We also obtained data suggesting that the persistence of the effect depends on visual stimulation in the time between the conditioning and test periods, and that the presence of a stationary visual stimulus facilitates recovery from the motion adaptation.