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Wilson M, Hecker L, Joos E, Aertsen A, Tebartz van Elst L, Kornmeier J. Spontaneous Necker-cube reversals may not be that spontaneous. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1179081. [PMID: 37323933 PMCID: PMC10268006 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1179081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction During observation of the ambiguous Necker cube, our perception suddenly reverses between two about equally possible 3D interpretations. During passive observation, perceptual reversals seem to be sudden and spontaneous. A number of theoretical approaches postulate destabilization of neural representations as a pre-condition for reversals of ambiguous figures. In the current study, we focused on possible Electroencephalogram (EEG) correlates of perceptual destabilization, that may allow prediction of an upcoming perceptual reversal. Methods We presented ambiguous Necker cube stimuli in an onset-paradigm and investigated the neural processes underlying endogenous reversals as compared to perceptual stability across two consecutive stimulus presentations. In a separate experimental condition, disambiguated cube variants were alternated randomly, to exogenously induce perceptual reversals. We compared the EEG immediately before and during endogenous Necker cube reversals with corresponding time windows during exogenously induced perceptual reversals of disambiguated cube variants. Results For the ambiguous Necker cube stimuli, we found the earliest differences in the EEG between reversal trials and stability trials already 1 s before a reversal occurred, at bilateral parietal electrodes. The traces remained similar until approximately 1100 ms before a perceived reversal, became maximally different at around 890 ms (p = 7.59 × 10-6, Cohen's d = 1.35) and remained different until shortly before offset of the stimulus preceding the reversal. No such patterns were found in the case of disambiguated cube variants. Discussion The identified EEG effects may reflect destabilized states of neural representations, related to destabilized perceptual states preceding a perceptual reversal. They further indicate that spontaneous Necker cube reversals are most probably not as spontaneous as generally thought. Rather, the destabilization may occur over a longer time scale, at least 1 s before a reversal event, despite the reversal event as such being perceived as spontaneous by the viewer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mareike Wilson
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lukas Hecker
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ellen Joos
- INSERM U1114, Cognitive Neuropsychology and Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia, Strasbourg, France
| | - Ad Aertsen
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Bernstein Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ludger Tebartz van Elst
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Kornmeier
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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Devia C, Concha-Miranda M, Rodríguez E. Bi-Stable Perception: Self-Coordinating Brain Regions to Make-Up the Mind. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:805690. [PMID: 35153663 PMCID: PMC8829010 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.805690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Bi-stable perception is a strong instance of cognitive self-organization, providing a research model for how ‘the brain makes up its mind.’ The complexity of perceptual bistability prevents a simple attribution of functions to areas, because many cognitive processes, recruiting multiple brain regions, are simultaneously involved. The functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) evidence suggests the activation of a large network of distant brain areas. Concurrently, electroencephalographic and magnetoencephalographic (MEEG) literature shows sub second oscillatory activity and phase synchrony on several frequency bands. Strongly represented are beta and gamma bands, often associated with neural/cognitive integration processes. The spatial extension and short duration of brain activities suggests the need for a fast, large-scale neural coordination mechanism. To address the range of temporo-spatial scales involved, we systematize the current knowledge from mathematical models, cognitive sciences and neuroscience at large, from single-cell- to system-level research, including evidence from human and non-human primates. Surprisingly, despite evidence spanning through different organization levels, models, and experimental approaches, the scarcity of integrative studies is evident. In a final section of the review we dwell on the reasons behind such scarcity and on the need of integration in order to achieve a real understanding of the complexities underlying bi-stable perception processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christ Devia
- Departamento de Neurociencia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Miguel Concha-Miranda
- Departamento de Neurociencia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Laboratorio de Neurodinámica Básica y Aplicada, Escuela de Psicología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Eugenio Rodríguez
- Laboratorio de Neurodinámica Básica y Aplicada, Escuela de Psicología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- *Correspondence: Eugenio Rodríguez,
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Zeljko M, Grove PM, Kritikos A. The Lightness/Pitch Crossmodal Correspondence Modulates the Rubin Face/Vase Perception. Multisens Res 2021; 34:1-21. [PMID: 34139670 DOI: 10.1163/22134808-bja10054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
We examine whether crossmodal correspondences (CMCs) modulate perceptual disambiguation by considering the influence of lightness/pitch congruency on the perceptual resolution of the Rubin face/vase (RFV). We randomly paired a black-and-white RFV (black faces and white vase, or vice versa) with either a high or low pitch tone and found that CMC congruency biases the dominant visual percept. The perceptual option that was CMC-congruent with the tone (white/high pitch or black/low pitch) was reported significantly more often than the perceptual option CMC-incongruent with the tone (white/low pitch or black/high pitch). However, the effect was only observed for stimuli presented for longer and not shorter durations suggesting a perceptual effect rather than a response bias, and moreover, we infer an effect on perceptual reversals rather than initial percepts. We found that the CMC congruency effect for longer-duration stimuli only occurred after prior exposure to the stimuli of several minutes, suggesting that the CMC congruency develops over time. These findings extend the observed effects of CMCs from relatively low-level feature-based effects to higher-level object-based perceptual effects (specifically, resolving ambiguity) and demonstrate that an entirely new category of crossmodal factors (CMC congruency) influence perceptual disambiguation in bistability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mick Zeljko
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4067, Australia
| | - Philip M Grove
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4067, Australia
| | - Ada Kritikos
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4067, Australia
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Abdallah D, Brooks JL. Response dependence of reversal-related ERP components in perception of ambiguous figures. Psychophysiology 2020; 57:e13685. [PMID: 32940372 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Perceptual multi-stability is characterized by alternating interpretations of an unchanging stimulus input. The reversal negativity (RN) and reversal positivity (RP) ERP components show differences in electrophysiological responses between trials on which participants experience a perceptual reversal of a multi-stable stimulus versus trials without a reversal (i.e., stable). However, it is unclear to what extent these two ERP components reflect reversal-related perceptual processing rather than task and response processes. To address this, we varied task and response requirements while measuring the RN and RP. In the standard reversal task, participants indicated whether they saw a perceptual reversal on each trial. In contrast, in the identity task participants reported perceived identity of the stimulus (e.g., face or vase) without any reference to reversals. In some blocks, reversal trials required a response whereas in other blocks stable trials required a response. We found that the RN appeared independently of task and response style. However, the early latency RP component was only present when participants responded manually. For non-response trials, a component was found during the same latency as the RP but with inverted polarity. Our results suggest that the early RP component is dependent on response-related processes rather than being a pure neural signature of perceptual processes related to endogenous perceptual reversals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane Abdallah
- School of Psychology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
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Farmaki C, Sakkalis V, Loesche F, Nisiforou EA. Assessing Field Dependence-Independence Cognitive Abilities Through EEG-Based Bistable Perception Processing. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 13:345. [PMID: 31680904 PMCID: PMC6798068 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Field Dependence–Independence (FDI) is a widely studied dimension of cognitive styles designed to measure an individual’s ability to identify embedded parts of an organized visual field as entities separate from that given field. The research aims to determine whether the brain activity features that are considered to be perceptual switching indicators could serve as robust features, differentiating Field-Dependent (FD) from Field-Independent (FI) participants. Previous research suggests that various features derived from event related potentials (ERP) and frequency features are associated with the perceptual reversal occurring during the observation of a bistable image. In this study, we combined these features in the context of a different experimental scheme using ambiguous and unambiguous stimuli during participants’ perceptual observations. We assessed the participants’ FD-I classification with the use of the Hidden Figures Test (HFT). Results show that the peak amplitude of the frontoparietal positivity, the late positive deflection in frontal and parietal areas, is higher for the FD group at specific locations of the left lobe, whereas it occurs later for the FD group at the central and occipital electrodes. Additionally, the FD group exhibits higher levels of gamma power before stimulus onset at channel TP10 and higher gamma power during reversal at the right centroparietal electrodes (T8, CP6, and TP10). The peak amplitude of the reversal positivity, the positive deflection during the reversal, is higher for the FD group at the rear right lobe (P4).
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Farmaki
- Computational Bio-Medicine Laboratory, Institute of Computer Science, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Vangelis Sakkalis
- Computational Bio-Medicine Laboratory, Institute of Computer Science, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Frank Loesche
- Cognition Institute, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom.,CogNovo, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Efi A Nisiforou
- Department of Education, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
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Kornmeier J, Friedel E, Hecker L, Schmidt S, Wittmann M. What happens in the brain of meditators when perception changes but not the stimulus? PLoS One 2019; 14:e0223843. [PMID: 31647833 PMCID: PMC6812751 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0223843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
During the observation of an ambiguous figure our perception alternates between mutually exclusive interpretations, although the stimulus itself remains unchanged. The rate of these endogenous reversals has been discussed as reflecting basic aspects of endogenous brain dynamics. Recent evidence indicates that extensive meditation practice evokes long-term functional and anatomic changes in the brain, also affecting the endogenous brain dynamics. As one of several consequences the rate of perceptual reversals during ambiguous figure perception decreases. In the present study we compared EEG-correlates of endogenous reversals of ambiguous figures between meditators and non-meditating controls in order to better understand timing and brain locations of this altered endogenous brain dynamics. A well-established EEG paradigm was used to measure the neural processes underlying endogenous perceptual reversals of ambiguous figures with high temporal precision. We compared reversal-related ERPs between experienced meditators and non-meditating controls. For both groups we found highly similar chains of reversal-related ERPs, starting early in visual areas, therewith replicating previous findings from the literature. Meditators, however, showed an additional frontal ERP signature already 160 ms after stimulus onset (Frontal Negativity). We interpret the additional, meditation-specific ERP results as evidence that extensive meditation practice provides control of frontal brain areas over early sensory processing steps. This may allow meditators to overcome phylogenetically evolved perceptual and attentional processing automatisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Kornmeier
- Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Evelyn. Friedel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lukas Hecker
- Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Eye Center, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Schmidt
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Marc Wittmann
- Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health, Freiburg, Germany
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Liaci E, Fischer A, Heinrichs M, van Elst LT, Kornmeier J. Mona Lisa is always happy - and only sometimes sad. Sci Rep 2017; 7:43511. [PMID: 28281547 PMCID: PMC5345090 DOI: 10.1038/srep43511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The worldwide fascination of da Vinci's Mona Lisa has been dedicated to the emotional ambiguity of her face expression. In the present study we manipulated Mona Lisa's mouth curvature as one potential source of ambiguity and studied how a range of happier and sadder face variants influences perception. In two experimental conditions we presented different stimulus ranges with different step sizes between stimuli along the happy-sad axis of emotional face expressions. Stimuli were presented in random order and participants indicated the perceived emotional face expression (first task) and the confidence of their response (second task). The probability of responding 'happy' to the original Mona Lisa was close to 100%. Furthermore, in both conditions the perceived happiness of Mona Lisa variants described sigmoidal functions of the mouth curvature. Participants' confidence was weakest around the sigmoidal inflection points. Remarkably, the sigmoidal functions, as well as confidence values and reaction times, differed significantly between experimental conditions. Finally, participants responded generally faster to happy than to sad faces. Overall, the original Mona Lisa seems to be less ambiguous than expected. However, perception of and reaction to the emotional face content is relative and strongly depends on the used stimulus range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela Liaci
- Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health, Freiburg, Germany
- Eye Center, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiberg, Germany
- Center for Mental Disorders, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Fischer
- Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Markus Heinrichs
- Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Freiburg, Freiberg, Germany
| | - Ludger Tebartz van Elst
- Center for Mental Disorders, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Kornmeier
- Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health, Freiburg, Germany
- Eye Center, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiberg, Germany
- Center for Mental Disorders, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
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Kornmeier J, Mayer G. The alien in the forest OR when temporal context dominates perception. Perception 2015; 43:1270-4. [PMID: 25638942 DOI: 10.1068/p7844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Some German hunters came up with pictures taken from a wildlife camera and showing a strange humanoid-like object of about 10 cm size. Its puzzling appearance and a remarkable absence of wildlife in that area after its occurrence triggered paranormal explanations. After reexamination of the pictures, we found a more plausible conventional explanation. This case study serves as an interesting real-world example for the constructive nature of human perception. We discuss how the perceptual system uses spatial and temporal/memory factors to disambiguate ambiguous and restricted sensory information.
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