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Schmitt C, Schwenk JCB, Schütz A, Churan J, Kaminiarz A, Bremmer F. Preattentive processing of visually guided self-motion in humans and monkeys. Prog Neurobiol 2021; 205:102117. [PMID: 34224808 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The visually-based control of self-motion is a challenging task, requiring - if needed - immediate adjustments to keep on track. Accordingly, it would appear advantageous if the processing of self-motion direction (heading) was predictive, thereby accelerating the encoding of unexpected changes, and un-impaired by attentional load. We tested this hypothesis by recording EEG in humans and macaque monkeys with similar experimental protocols. Subjects viewed a random dot pattern simulating self-motion across a ground plane in an oddball EEG paradigm. Standard and deviant trials differed only in their simulated heading direction (forward-left vs. forward-right). Event-related potentials (ERPs) were compared in order to test for the occurrence of a visual mismatch negativity (vMMN), a component that reflects preattentive and likely also predictive processing of sensory stimuli. Analysis of the ERPs revealed signatures of a prediction mismatch for deviant stimuli in both humans and monkeys. In humans, a MMN was observed starting 110 ms after self-motion onset. In monkeys, peak response amplitudes following deviant stimuli were enhanced compared to the standard already 100 ms after self-motion onset. We consider our results strong evidence for a preattentive processing of visual self-motion information in humans and monkeys, allowing for ultrafast adjustments of their heading direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constanze Schmitt
- Dept. Neurophysics, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior - CMBB, Philipps-Universität Marburg and Justus-Liebig Universität Giessen, Germany.
| | - Jakob C B Schwenk
- Dept. Neurophysics, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior - CMBB, Philipps-Universität Marburg and Justus-Liebig Universität Giessen, Germany.
| | - Adrian Schütz
- Dept. Neurophysics, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior - CMBB, Philipps-Universität Marburg and Justus-Liebig Universität Giessen, Germany.
| | - Jan Churan
- Dept. Neurophysics, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior - CMBB, Philipps-Universität Marburg and Justus-Liebig Universität Giessen, Germany.
| | - André Kaminiarz
- Dept. Neurophysics, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior - CMBB, Philipps-Universität Marburg and Justus-Liebig Universität Giessen, Germany.
| | - Frank Bremmer
- Dept. Neurophysics, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior - CMBB, Philipps-Universität Marburg and Justus-Liebig Universität Giessen, Germany.
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Beck AK, Berti S, Czernochowski D, Lachmann T. Do categorical representations modulate early automatic visual processing? A visual mismatch-negativity study. Biol Psychol 2021; 163:108139. [PMID: 34147566 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Perceptual categorization is an important cognitive function. In the auditory domain, categorization already occurs within the first 200 ms of information processing, as indexed by the mismatch negativity. Here, we assessed the characteristics of the visual mismatch negativity (vMMN) elicited during the categorization of previously unknown visual stimuli. To examine this, we used five-dot patterns with characteristics that allow for the formation of categories through rotation and reflection but not through other physical properties. To assess whether or not between-category and within-category vMMN differ in amplitude, the data was analyzed with the Bayesian approach. We observed that both between-category and within-category deviants elicited a vMMN, but that both vMMNs were comparable in magnitude. This finding suggests that abstract categorical representations are not always automatically processed at early visual stages and demonstrates limitations of generalization from the auditory domain to visual domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Kathrin Beck
- Cognitive and Developmental Psychology Unit, Center for Cognitive Science, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany; Cognitive Science Unit, Center for Cognitive Science, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Stefan Berti
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Institute for Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Daniela Czernochowski
- Cognitive Science Unit, Center for Cognitive Science, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Thomas Lachmann
- Cognitive and Developmental Psychology Unit, Center for Cognitive Science, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany; Facultad de Lenguas y Educación, Universidad Nebrija, Madrid, Spain; University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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3
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Beck AK, Czernochowski D, Lachmann T, Berti S. Do categorical representations modulate early perceptual or later cognitive visual processing? An ERP study. Brain Cogn 2021; 150:105724. [PMID: 33819771 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2021.105724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Encoding of perceptual categorical information has been observed in later cognitive processing like memory encoding and maintenance, starting around 300 ms after stimulus onset (P300). However, it remains open whether categorical information is also encoded in early perceptual processing steps (reflected in the mismatch negativity component; vMMN). The main goal of this study was to assess the influence of categorical information on both early perceptual (i.e., vMMN component) and later cognitive (i.e., P300 component) processing within one paradigm. Hence, we combined an oddball paradigm with a delayed memory task. We used five-dot patterns belonging to different categories even though categorical information is not mirrored in their physical characteristics. Distinct vMMNs were observed for patterns belonging to the same as compared to different categories, suggesting that abstract categorical information was encoded during early perceptual processing. However, inconsistent with prior studies, we observed no effect of categories on the P300, indicating no additional encoding of categorical information in later cognitive stages of processing. Our findings emphasize that the encoding of categorical information depends on specific task demands and hence is more flexible and dynamic than previously suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Kathrin Beck
- Center for Cognitive Science, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | | | - Thomas Lachmann
- Center for Cognitive Science, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany; Centro de Ciencia Cognitiva, Facultad de Lenguas y Educación, Universidad Nebrija, Madrid, Spain; University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Stefan Berti
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Institute for Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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4
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Athanasopoulos P, Casaponsa A. The Whorfian brain: Neuroscientific approaches to linguistic relativity. Cogn Neuropsychol 2020; 37:393-412. [DOI: 10.1080/02643294.2020.1769050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Panos Athanasopoulos
- Department of Linguistics and English Language, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Aina Casaponsa
- Department of Linguistics and English Language, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
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Schmitt C, Klingenhoefer S, Bremmer F. Preattentive and Predictive Processing of Visual Motion. Sci Rep 2018; 8:12399. [PMID: 30120337 PMCID: PMC6098031 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-30832-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Interaction with the environment requires fast and reliable sensory processing. The visual system is confronted with a continuous flow of high-dimensional input (e.g. orientation, color, motion). From a theoretical point of view, it would be advantageous if critical information was processed independent of attentional load, i.e. preattentively. Here, we hypothesized that visual motion is such a critical signal and aimed for a neural signature of its preattentive encoding. Furthermore, we were interested in the neural correlates of predictability of linear motion trajectories based on the presence or absence of preceding motion. We presented a visual oddball paradigm and studied event-related potentials (ERPs). Stimuli were linearly moving Gabor patches that disappeared behind an occluder. The difference between deviant and standard trials was a trajectory change which happened behind the occluder in deviant trials only, inducing a prediction error. As hypothesized, we found a visual mismatch negativity-component over parietal and occipital electrodes. In a further condition, trials without preceding motion were presented in which the patch just appeared from behind the occluder and, hence, was not predictable. We found larger ERP-components for unpredictable stimuli. In summary, our results provide evidence for a preattentive and predictive processing of linear trajectories of visual motion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constanze Schmitt
- Dept. Neurophysics, Philipps-Universität Marburg Karl-von-Frisch Str 8a, Marburg, D-35043, Germany.
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior - CMBB, Hans-Meerwein-Straße 6, Marburg, D-35032, Germany.
| | - Steffen Klingenhoefer
- Dept. Neurophysics, Philipps-Universität Marburg Karl-von-Frisch Str 8a, Marburg, D-35043, Germany
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Science (CMBN), Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Frank Bremmer
- Dept. Neurophysics, Philipps-Universität Marburg Karl-von-Frisch Str 8a, Marburg, D-35043, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior - CMBB, Hans-Meerwein-Straße 6, Marburg, D-35032, Germany
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Newly learned categories induce pre-attentive categorical perception of faces. Sci Rep 2017; 7:14006. [PMID: 29070897 PMCID: PMC5656585 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-14104-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Face perception is modulated by categorical information in faces, which is known as categorical perception (CP) of faces. However, it remains unknown whether CP of faces is humans’ inborn capability or the result of acquired categories. Here, we examined whether and when newly learned categories affect face perception. A short-term training method was employed in which participants learned new categories of face stimuli. Behaviorally, using an AB-X discrimination task, we found that the discrimination accuracy of face pairs from different learned categories was significantly higher than that of faces from the same category. Neurally, using a visual oddball task, we found that deviant stimuli whose category differed from standard stimuli evoked a larger N170. Importantly, the visual mismatch negativity (vMMN), starting from 140 ms after stimuli onset, was stronger with the between-category deviants than with the within-category deviants under the unattended condition. Altogether, our study provides empirical evidence indicating that CP of faces could be induced by newly learned categories, and this effect occurs automatically during an early stage of processing.
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