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Kreyenmeier P, Bhuiyan I, Gian M, Chow HM, Spering M. Smooth pursuit inhibition reveals audiovisual enhancement of fast movement control. J Vis 2024; 24:3. [PMID: 38558158 PMCID: PMC10996987 DOI: 10.1167/jov.24.4.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The sudden onset of a visual object or event elicits an inhibition of eye movements at latencies approaching the minimum delay of visuomotor conductance in the brain. Typically, information presented via multiple sensory modalities, such as sound and vision, evokes stronger and more robust responses than unisensory information. Whether and how multisensory information affects ultra-short latency oculomotor inhibition is unknown. In two experiments, we investigate smooth pursuit and saccadic inhibition in response to multisensory distractors. Observers tracked a horizontally moving dot and were interrupted by an unpredictable visual, auditory, or audiovisual distractor. Distractors elicited a transient inhibition of pursuit eye velocity and catch-up saccade rate within ∼100 ms of their onset. Audiovisual distractors evoked stronger oculomotor inhibition than visual- or auditory-only distractors, indicating multisensory response enhancement. Multisensory response enhancement magnitudes were equal to the linear sum of responses to component stimuli. These results demonstrate that multisensory information affects eye movements even at ultra-short latencies, establishing a lower time boundary for multisensory-guided behavior. We conclude that oculomotor circuits must have privileged access to sensory information from multiple modalities, presumably via a fast, subcortical pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Kreyenmeier
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ishmam Bhuiyan
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Mathew Gian
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Hiu Mei Chow
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Psychology, St. Thomas University, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Miriam Spering
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Djavad Mowafaghian Center for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, BC, Vancouver, Canada
- Institute for Computing, Information, and Cognitive Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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2
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Hu J, Vetter P. How the eyes respond to sounds. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024; 1532:18-36. [PMID: 38152040 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Eye movements have been extensively studied with respect to visual stimulation. However, we live in a multisensory world, and how the eyes are driven by other senses has been explored much less. Here, we review the evidence on how audition can trigger and drive different eye responses and which cortical and subcortical neural correlates are involved. We provide an overview on how different types of sounds, from simple tones and noise bursts to spatially localized sounds and complex linguistic stimuli, influence saccades, microsaccades, smooth pursuit, pupil dilation, and eye blinks. The reviewed evidence reveals how the auditory system interacts with the oculomotor system, both behaviorally and neurally, and how this differs from visually driven eye responses. Some evidence points to multisensory interaction, and potential multisensory integration, but the underlying computational and neural mechanisms are still unclear. While there are marked differences in how the eyes respond to auditory compared to visual stimuli, many aspects of auditory-evoked eye responses remain underexplored, and we summarize the key open questions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junchao Hu
- Visual and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Petra Vetter
- Visual and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
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3
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Liu W, Cheng Y, Yuan X, Jiang Y. Linear integration of multisensory signals in the pupil. Psychophysiology 2024; 61:e14453. [PMID: 37813676 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
The pupil of the eye responds to various salient signals from different modalities, but there is no consensus on how these pupillary responses are integrated when multiple signals appear simultaneously. Both linear and nonlinear integration have been found previously. The current study aimed to reexamine the nature of pupillary integration, and specifically focused on the early, transient pupillary responses due to its close relationship with orienting. To separate the early pupillary responses out of the pupil time series, we adopted a pupil oscillation paradigm in which sensory stimuli were periodically presented. The simulation analysis confirmed that the amplitude of the pupil oscillation, induced by stimuli repeatedly presented at relatively high rates, can precisely reflect the early, transient pupillary responses without involving the late and sustained pupillary responses. The experimental results then showed that the amplitude of pupil oscillation induced by a series of simultaneous audiovisual stimuli equaled to a linear summation of the oscillatory amplitudes when unisensory stimuli were presented alone. Moreover, the tonic arousal levels, indicated by the baseline pupil size, cannot shift the summation from linear to nonlinear. These findings together support the additive nature of multisensory pupillary integration for the early, orienting-related pupillary responses. The additive nature of pupillary integration further implies that multiple pupillary responses may be independent of each other, irrespective of their potential cognitive and neural drivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | - Yuhui Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangyong Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
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4
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Sherrill S, Watson J, Khan R, Nagai Y, Azevedo R, Tsakiris M, Garfinkel S, Critchley H. Evidence that pupil dilation and cardiac afferent signalling differentially impact the processing of emotional intensity and racial bias. Biol Psychol 2023; 183:108699. [PMID: 37775034 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Interoceptive cardiac arousal signals (e.g., from baroreceptor firing at ventricular systole compared to diastole) have been found to enhance perception of fearful versus neutral faces. They have also been found to amplify racially biased misidentification of tools as weapons when preceded by facial images of Black versus White individuals. Since pupil size is strongly coupled to arousal, we tested if experimental manipulation of pupil size influences fear processing in emotional judgement and racial bias tasks involving measurement of cardiac signals. In a sample of 22 non-clinical participants in an emotional intensity judgement task, pupil size did not affect emotional intensity ratings. Nor did it interact with differential effects of cardiac systole versus diastole on intensity judgements of fearful and neutral faces, replicated here. In a sample of 25 non-clinical participants in a weapons identification task, larger pupil size resulted in faster response times and lower accuracy when identifying tools and weapons. However, pupil size did not interact with weapon versus tool identification, race of prime, or cardiac timing. We nevertheless replicated the observed increase in racially biased misidentification of tools as weapons following Black face primes presented at cardiac systole. Together our findings indicate that pupil dilation does not directly influence the processing of fear cues or perceived threat (as in racial bias) yet affects task performance by decreasing response times and accuracy. These findings contrast with the established effect of cardiac arousal signals on threat processing and may help focus interventions to mitigate related decision errors in high-pressure occupations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Sherrill
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, UK; Sussex Neuroscience, University of Sussex, UK; Sussex Centre for Consciousness Science, University of Sussex, UK
| | - Jordan Watson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, UK
| | - Riya Khan
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, UK
| | - Yoko Nagai
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, UK; Sussex Neuroscience, University of Sussex, UK
| | | | - Manos Tsakiris
- Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK
| | - Sarah Garfinkel
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, UK
| | - Hugo Critchley
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, UK; Sussex Neuroscience, University of Sussex, UK; Sussex Centre for Consciousness Science, University of Sussex, UK; Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, UK.
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5
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Zaidel A, Salomon R. Multisensory decisions from self to world. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220335. [PMID: 37545311 PMCID: PMC10404927 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Classic Bayesian models of perceptual inference describe how an ideal observer would integrate 'unisensory' measurements (multisensory integration) and attribute sensory signals to their origin(s) (causal inference). However, in the brain, sensory signals are always received in the context of a multisensory bodily state-namely, in combination with other senses. Moreover, sensory signals from both interoceptive sensing of one's own body and exteroceptive sensing of the world are highly interdependent and never occur in isolation. Thus, the observer must fundamentally determine whether each sensory observation is from an external (versus internal, self-generated) source to even be considered for integration. Critically, solving this primary causal inference problem requires knowledge of multisensory and sensorimotor dependencies. Thus, multisensory processing is needed to separate sensory signals. These multisensory processes enable us to simultaneously form a sense of self and form distinct perceptual decisions about the external world. In this opinion paper, we review and discuss the similarities and distinctions between multisensory decisions underlying the sense of self and those directed at acquiring information about the world. We call attention to the fact that heterogeneous multisensory processes take place all along the neural hierarchy (even in forming 'unisensory' observations) and argue that more integration of these aspects, in theory and experiment, is required to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of multisensory brain function. This article is part of the theme issue 'Decision and control processes in multisensory perception'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Zaidel
- Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Roy Salomon
- Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel
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6
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Kooijman L, Asadi H, Mohamed S, Nahavandi S. A virtual reality study investigating the train illusion. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:221622. [PMID: 37063997 PMCID: PMC10090874 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The feeling of self-movement that occurs in the absence of physical motion is often referred to as vection, which is commonly exemplified using the train illusion analogy (TIA). Limited research exists on whether the TIA accurately exemplifies the experience of vection in virtual environments (VEs). Few studies complemented their vection research with participants' qualitative feedback or by recording physiological responses, and most studies used stimuli that contextually differed from the TIA. We investigated whether vection is experienced differently in a VE replicating the TIA compared to a VE depicting optic flow by recording subjective and physiological responses. Additionally, we explored participants' experience through an open question survey. We expected the TIA environment to induce enhanced vection compared to the optic flow environment. Twenty-nine participants were visually and audibly immersed in VEs that either depicted optic flow or replicated the TIA. Results showed optic flow elicited more compelling vection than the TIA environment and no consistent physiological correlates to vection were identified. The post-experiment survey revealed discrepancies between participants' quantitative and qualitative feedback. Although the dynamic content may outweigh the ecological relevance of the stimuli, it was concluded that more qualitative research is needed to understand participants' vection experience in VEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Kooijman
- Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Houshyar Asadi
- Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Shady Mohamed
- Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Saeid Nahavandi
- Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
- Harvard Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Allston, MA 02134, USA
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7
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Oster J, Huang J, White BJ, Radach R, Itti L, Munoz DP, Wang CA. Pupillary responses to differences in luminance, color and set size. Exp Brain Res 2022; 240:1873-1885. [PMID: 35445861 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-022-06367-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The pupil responds to a salient stimulus appearing in the environment, in addition to its modulation by global luminance. These pupillary responses can be evoked by visual or auditory stimuli, scaled with stimulus salience, and enhanced by multisensory presentation. In addition, pupil size is modulated by various visual stimulus attributes, such as color, area, and motion. However, research that concurrently examines the influence of different factors on pupillary responses is limited. To explore how presentation of multiple visual stimuli influences human pupillary responses, we presented arrays of visual stimuli and systematically varied their luminance, color, and set size. Saliency level, computed by the saliency model, systematically changed with set size across all conditions, with higher saliency levels in larger set sizes. Pupillary constriction responses were evoked by the appearance of visual stimuli, with larger pupillary responses observed in larger set size. These effects were pronounced even though the global luminance level was unchanged using isoluminant chromatic stimuli. Furthermore, larger pupillary constriction responses were obtained in the blue, compared to other color conditions. Together, we argue that both cortical and subcortical areas contribute to the observed pupillary constriction modulated by set size and color.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Oster
- Department of General and Biological Psychology, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Jeff Huang
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Room 234, Botterell Hall, 18 Stuart Street, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Brian J White
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Room 234, Botterell Hall, 18 Stuart Street, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Ralph Radach
- Department of General and Biological Psychology, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Laurent Itti
- Department of Computer Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Douglas P Munoz
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Room 234, Botterell Hall, 18 Stuart Street, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada.
| | - Chin-An Wang
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, College of Health Science and Technology, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan.
- Cognitive Intelligence and Precision Healthcare Research Center, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan.
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8
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Yuan X, Cheng Y, Jiang Y. Multisensory signals inhibit pupillary light reflex: Evidence from pupil oscillation. Psychophysiology 2021; 58:e13848. [PMID: 34002397 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Multisensory integration, which enhances stimulus saliency at the early stage of the processing hierarchy, has been recently shown to produce a larger pupil size than its unisensory constituents. Theoretically, any modulation on pupil size ought to be associated with the sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways that are sensitive to light. But it remains poorly understood how the pupillary light reflex is changed in a multisensory context. The present study evoked an oscillation of the pupillary light reflex by periodically changing the luminance of a visual stimulus at 1.25 Hz. It was found that such induced pupil size oscillation was substantially attenuated when the bright but not the dark phase of the visual flicker was periodically and synchronously presented with a burst of tones. This inhibition effect persisted when the visual flicker was task-irrelevant and out of attentional focus, but disappeared when the visual flicker was moved from the central field to the periphery. These findings not only offer a comprehensive characterization of the multisensory impact on pupil response to light, but also provide valuable clues about the individual contributions of the sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways to multisensory modulation of pupil size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyong Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | - Yuhui Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China.,Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, China
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9
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Hsu TY, Hsu YF, Wang HY, Wang CA. Role of the frontal eye field in human pupil and saccade orienting responses. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:4283-4294. [PMID: 33901328 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The appearance of a salient stimulus evokes a series of orienting responses including saccades and pupil size to prepare the body for appropriate action. The midbrain superior colliculus (SC) that receives critical control signals from the frontal eye field (FEF) is hypothesized to coordinate all components of orienting. It has shown recently that the FEF, together with the SC, is also importantly involved in the control of pupil size, in addition to its well-documented role in eye movements. Although the role of the FEF in pupil size is demonstrated in monkeys, its role in human pupil responses and the coordination between pupil size and saccades remains to be established. Through applying continuous theta-burst stimulation over the right FEF and vertex, we investigated the role of the FEF in human pupil and saccade responses evoked by a salient stimulus, and the coordination between pupil size and saccades. Our results showed that neither saccade reaction times (SRT) nor pupil responses evoked by salient stimuli were modulated by FEF stimulation. In contrast, the correlation between pupil size and SRTs in the contralateral stimulus condition was diminished with FEF stimulation, but intact with vertex stimulation. Moreover, FEF stimulation effects between saccade and pupil responses associated with salient stimuli correlated across participants. This is the first transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) study on the pupil orienting response, and our findings suggest that human FEF was involved in coordinating pupil size and saccades, but not involved in the control of pupil orienting responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzu-Yu Hsu
- Graduate Institute of Mind, Brain, and Consciousness (GIMBC), Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Brain and Consciousness Research Center (BCRC), TMU-Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Fan Hsu
- Graduate Institute of Mind, Brain, and Consciousness (GIMBC), Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Brain and Consciousness Research Center (BCRC), TMU-Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, College of Health Science and Technology, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
- Cognitive Intelligence and Precision Healthcare Research Center, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Yi Wang
- Graduate Institute of Mind, Brain, and Consciousness (GIMBC), Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Brain and Consciousness Research Center (BCRC), TMU-Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Chin-An Wang
- Graduate Institute of Mind, Brain, and Consciousness (GIMBC), Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Brain and Consciousness Research Center (BCRC), TMU-Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, College of Health Science and Technology, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
- Cognitive Intelligence and Precision Healthcare Research Center, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
- Department of Anesthesiology, TMU-Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan
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10
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Van der Stoep N, Van der Smagt MJ, Notaro C, Spock Z, Naber M. The additive nature of the human multisensory evoked pupil response. Sci Rep 2021; 11:707. [PMID: 33436889 PMCID: PMC7803952 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80286-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Pupillometry has received increased interest for its usefulness in measuring various sensory processes as an alternative to behavioural assessments. This is also apparent for multisensory investigations. Studies of the multisensory pupil response, however, have produced conflicting results. Some studies observed super-additive multisensory pupil responses, indicative of multisensory integration (MSI). Others observed additive multisensory pupil responses even though reaction time (RT) measures were indicative of MSI. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the nature of the multisensory pupil response by combining methodological approaches of previous studies while using supra-threshold stimuli only. In two experiments we presented auditory and visual stimuli to observers that evoked a(n) (onset) response (be it constriction or dilation) in a simple detection task and a change detection task. In both experiments, the RT data indicated MSI as shown by race model inequality violation. Still, the multisensory pupil response in both experiments could best be explained by linear summation of the unisensory pupil responses. We conclude that the multisensory pupil response for supra-threshold stimuli is additive in nature and cannot be used as a measure of MSI, as only a departure from additivity can unequivocally demonstrate an interaction between the senses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Van der Stoep
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Langeveld Building, Room H0.26, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - M J Van der Smagt
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Langeveld Building, Room H0.26, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - C Notaro
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Langeveld Building, Room H0.26, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Z Spock
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Langeveld Building, Room H0.26, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - M Naber
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Langeveld Building, Room H0.26, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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11
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Gowen CL, Khwaounjoo P, Cakmak YO. EMG-Free Monitorization of the Acoustic Startle Reflex with a Mobile Phone: Implications of Sound Parameters with Posture Related Responses. SENSORS 2020; 20:s20215996. [PMID: 33105890 PMCID: PMC7660167 DOI: 10.3390/s20215996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
(1) Background: Acute acoustic (sound) stimulus prompts a state of defensive motivation in which unconscious muscle responses are markedly enhanced in humans. The orbicularis oculi (OO) of the eye is an easily accessed muscle common for acoustic startle reaction/response/reflex (ASR) investigations and is the muscle of interest in this study. Although the ASR can provide insights about numerous clinical conditions, existing methodologies (Electromyogram, EMG) limit the usability of the method in real clinical conditions. (2) Objective: With EMG-free muscle recording in mind, our primary aim was to identify and investigate potential correlations in the responses of individual and cooperative OO muscles to various acoustic stimuli using a mobile and wire-free system. Our secondary aim was to investigate potential altered responses to high and also relatively low intensity acoustics at different frequencies in both sitting and standing positions through the use of biaural sound induction and video diagnostic techniques and software. (3) Methods: This study used a mobile-phone acoustic startle response monitoring system application to collect blink amplitude and velocity data on healthy males, aged 18–28 community cohorts during (n = 30) in both sitting and standing postures. The iPhone X application delivers specific sound parameters and detects blinking responses to acoustic stimulus (in millisecond resolution) to study the responses of the blinking reflex to acoustic sounds in standing and sitting positions by using multiple acoustic test sets of different frequencies and amplitudes introduced as acute sound stimuli (<0.5 s). The single acoustic battery of 15 pure-square wave sounds consisted of frequencies and amplitudes between 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz scales using 65, 90, and 105 dB (e.g., 3000 Hz_90 dB). (4) Results: Results show that there was a synchronization of amplitude and velocity between both eyes to all acoustic startles. Significant differences (p = 0.01) in blinking reaction time between sitting vs. standing at the high intensity (105 dB) 500 Hz acoustic test set was discovered. Interestingly, a highly significant difference (p < 0.001) in response times between test sets 500 Hz_105 dB and 4000 Hz_105 dB was identified. (5) Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first mobile phone-based acoustic battery used to detect and report significant ASR responses to specific frequencies and amplitudes of sound stimulus with corresponding sitting and standing conditions. The results from this experiment indicate the potential significance of using the specific frequency, amplitude, and postural conditions (as never before identified) which can open new horizons for ASR to be used for diagnosis and monitoring in numerous clinical and remote or isolated conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher L. Gowen
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University Of Otago, Po Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; (C.L.G.); (P.K.)
| | - Prashanna Khwaounjoo
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University Of Otago, Po Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; (C.L.G.); (P.K.)
- Medtech Core, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Yusuf O. Cakmak
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University Of Otago, Po Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; (C.L.G.); (P.K.)
- Medtech Core, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
- Brain Health Research Centre, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
- Centre for Health Systems and Technology, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +64-03-479-4030
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12
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Wang CA, Huang J, Brien DC, Munoz DP. Saliency and priority modulation in a pop-out paradigm: Pupil size and microsaccades. Biol Psychol 2020; 153:107901. [PMID: 32389837 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2020.107901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A salient stimulus can trigger a coordinated orienting response consisting of a saccade, pupil, and microsaccadic responses. Saliency models predict that the degree of visual conspicuity of all visual stimuli guides visual orienting. By presenting a multiple-item array that included an oddball colored item (pop-out), randomly mixed colored items (mixed-color), or single-color items (single-color), we examined the effects of saliency and priority (saliency + relevancy) on pupil size and microsaccade responses. Larger pupil responses were produced in the pop-out compared to the mixed-color or single-color conditions after stimulus presentation. However, the saliency modulation on microsaccades was not significant. Furthermore, although goal-relevancy information did not modulate pupil responses and microsaccade rate, microsaccade direction was biased toward the pop-out item when it was the subsequent saccadic target. Together, our results demonstrate saliency modulation on pupil size and priority effects on microsaccade direction during visual pop-out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chin-An Wang
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada; Research Center of Brain and Consciousness, Department of Anesthesiology, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Mind, Brain, and Consciousness, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Jeff Huang
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Donald C Brien
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Douglas P Munoz
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
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Kleberg JL, Hanqvist C, Serlachius E, Högström J. Pupil dilation to emotional expressions in adolescent social anxiety disorder is related to treatment outcome. J Anxiety Disord 2019; 65:26-33. [PMID: 31136877 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2019.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Atypical attention to potential social threats, such as emotional faces, may be one of the core mechanisms underlying social anxiety disorder (SAD). Pupil dilation is an index of locus coreuleus-noradrenergic activity, and closely linked to attention. In the present study, pupil dilation was studied in adolescents with SAD (N = 26; 22 Female) before the onset of a 12-week cognitive behavioral treatment, and in healthy controls (N = 23). Stimuli were faces with angry or happy emotional expressions. Contrary to our hypothesis, the SAD group did not show hyper-responsiveness to angry compared to happy faces. Instead, an atypical time course of the pupil dilation response was found, resulting in an attenuated response during late time stages. Larger pupil dilation amplitude to happy faces before treatment was related to worse treatment response. These results contribute significantly to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying adolescent SAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Lundin Kleberg
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden; Uppsala Child and Baby Lab, Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Sweden.
| | - Cornelia Hanqvist
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Eva Serlachius
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jens Högström
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
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14
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Peinkhofer C, Knudsen GM, Moretti R, Kondziella D. Cortical modulation of pupillary function: systematic review. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6882. [PMID: 31119083 PMCID: PMC6510220 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pupillary light reflex is the main mechanism that regulates the pupillary diameter; it is controlled by the autonomic system and mediated by subcortical pathways. In addition, cognitive and emotional processes influence pupillary function due to input from cortical innervation, but the exact circuits remain poorly understood. We performed a systematic review to evaluate the mechanisms behind pupillary changes associated with cognitive efforts and processing of emotions and to investigate the cerebral areas involved in cortical modulation of the pupillary light reflex. METHODOLOGY We searched multiple databases until November 2018 for studies on cortical modulation of pupillary function in humans and non-human primates. Of 8,809 papers screened, 258 studies were included. RESULTS Most investigators focused on pupillary dilatation and/or constriction as an index of cognitive and emotional processing, evaluating how changes in pupillary diameter reflect levels of attention and arousal. Only few tried to correlate specific cerebral areas to pupillary changes, using either cortical activation models (employing micro-stimulation of cortical structures in non-human primates) or cortical lesion models (e.g., investigating patients with stroke and damage to salient cortical and/or subcortical areas). Results suggest the involvement of several cortical regions, including the insular cortex (Brodmann areas 13 and 16), the frontal eye field (Brodmann area 8) and the prefrontal cortex (Brodmann areas 11 and 25), and of subcortical structures such as the locus coeruleus and the superior colliculus. CONCLUSIONS Pupillary dilatation occurs with many kinds of mental or emotional processes, following sympathetic activation or parasympathetic inhibition. Conversely, pupillary constriction may occur with anticipation of a bright stimulus (even in its absence) and relies on a parasympathetic activation. All these reactions are controlled by subcortical and cortical structures that are directly or indirectly connected to the brainstem pupillary innervation system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Costanza Peinkhofer
- Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Medical Faculty, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Gitte M. Knudsen
- Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rita Moretti
- Medical Faculty, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, Neurological Unit, Trieste University Hospital, Cattinara, Trieste, Italy
| | - Daniel Kondziella
- Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Technology and Science, Trondheim, Norway
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15
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Makovac E, Fagioli S, Watson DR, Meeten F, Smallwood J, Critchley HD, Ottaviani C. Response time as a proxy of ongoing mental state: A combined fMRI and pupillometry study in Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Neuroimage 2019; 191:380-391. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.02.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
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16
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Cash-Padgett T, Azab H, Yoo SBM, Hayden BY. Opposing pupil responses to offered and anticipated reward values. Anim Cogn 2018; 21:671-684. [PMID: 29971595 PMCID: PMC6232855 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-018-1202-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that the pupils dilate more in anticipation of larger rewards. This finding raises the possibility of a more general association between reward amount and pupil size. We tested this idea by characterizing macaque pupil responses to offered rewards during evaluation and comparison in a binary choice task. To control attention, we made use of a design in which offers occurred in sequence. By looking at pupil responses after choice but before reward, we confirmed the previously observed positive association between pupil size and anticipated reward values. Surprisingly, however, we find that pupil size is negatively correlated with the value of offered gambles before choice, during both evaluation and comparison stages of the task. These results demonstrate a functional distinction between offered and anticipated rewards and present evidence against a narrow version of the simulation hypothesis; the idea that we represent offers by reactivating states associated with anticipating them. They also suggest that pupil size is correlated with relative, not absolute, values of offers, suggestive of an accept-reject model of comparison.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Cash-Padgett
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
| | - Habiba Azab
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Center for Visual Sciences, Center for the Origins of Cognition, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Seng Bum Michael Yoo
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Center for Visual Sciences, Center for the Origins of Cognition, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin Y Hayden
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
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17
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Bast N, Poustka L, Freitag CM. The locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system as pacemaker of attention - a developmental mechanism of derailed attentional function in autism spectrum disorder. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 47:115-125. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Revised: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nico Bast
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy; University Hospital; Goethe University Frankfurt am Main; Deutschordenstraße 50 60528 Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Medical Faculty Mannheim; Central Institute of Mental Health; Heidelberg University; Heidelberg Germany
| | - Luise Poustka
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Medical Faculty Mannheim; Central Institute of Mental Health; Heidelberg University; Heidelberg Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy; University Medical Center Göttingen; Medical University of Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
| | - Christine M. Freitag
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy; University Hospital; Goethe University Frankfurt am Main; Deutschordenstraße 50 60528 Frankfurt am Main Germany
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18
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Attard-Johnson J, Bindemann M, Ó Ciardha C. Heterosexual, Homosexual, and Bisexual Men's Pupillary Responses to Persons at Different Stages of Sexual Development. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2017; 54:1085-1096. [PMID: 27925771 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2016.1241857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated whether pupil size during the viewing of images of adults and children reflects the sexual orientation of heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual men (n = 100, Mage = 22). More specifically, we explored whether this measure corresponds with sexual age preferences for adults over children in nonpedophilic men. In general, results across three experiments, in which observers freely viewed or rated the sexual appeal of person images, suggest that pupil dilation to sexual stimuli is an indicator of sexual orientation toward adults. Heterosexual men's pupils dilated most strongly to adults of the other sex, homosexual men dilated most strongly to adults of the same sex, and bisexual men showed an intermediate pattern. Dilation to adults was substantially stronger than dilation to younger age groups. Sexual appeal ratings for images of adults and children also correlated with pupil responses, suggesting a direct link between pupil dilation and sexual interest. These findings provide support for pupil dilation as a measure of sex- and age-specific sexual preferences.
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19
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Multisensory integration in orienting behavior: Pupil size, microsaccades, and saccades. Biol Psychol 2017; 129:36-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2017.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Revised: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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20
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Hosseini SMH, Bruno JL, Baker JM, Gundran A, Harbott LK, Gerdes JC, Reiss AL. Neural, physiological, and behavioral correlates of visuomotor cognitive load. Sci Rep 2017; 7:8866. [PMID: 28821719 PMCID: PMC5562732 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-07897-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Visuomotor ability is quite crucial for everyday functioning, particularly in driving and sports. While there is accumulating evidence regarding neural correlates of visuomotor transformation, less is known about the brain regions that accommodate visuomotor mapping under different cognitive demands. We concurrently measured cortical activity and pupillary response, using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and eye-tracking glasses, to examine the neural systems linked to pupil dilation under varying cognitive demands. Twenty-three healthy adults performed two sessions of a navigation task, in which the cognitive load was manipulated by either reversing the visuomotor mapping or increasing the speed of the moving object. We identified a region in the right superior parietal lobule that responded to both types of visuomotor load and its activity was associated with larger pupillary response and better performance in the task. Our multimodal analyses suggest that activity in this region arises from the need for increased attentional effort and alertness for visuomotor control and is an ideal candidate for objective measurement of visuomotor cognitive load. Our data extend previous findings connecting changes in pupil diameter to neural activity under varying cognitive demand and have important implications for examining brain-behavior associations in real-world tasks such as driving and sports.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Hadi Hosseini
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA, 94305-5795, USA.
| | - Jennifer L Bruno
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA, 94305-5795, USA
| | - Joseph M Baker
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA, 94305-5795, USA
| | - Andrew Gundran
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA, 94305-5795, USA
| | - Lene K Harbott
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, 473 Oak Road, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - J Christian Gerdes
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, 473 Oak Road, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Allan L Reiss
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA, 94305-5795, USA.,Departments of Radiology and Pediatrics, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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