Document Detail


Shared computational mechanism for tilt compensation accounts for biased verticality percepts in motion and pattern vision.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  18094098     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
To determine the direction of object motion in external space, the brain must combine retinal motion signals and information about the orientation of the eyes in space. We assessed the accuracy of this process in eight laterally tilted subjects who aligned the motion direction of a random-dot pattern (30% coherence, moving at 6 degrees /s) with their perceived direction of gravity (motion vertical) in otherwise complete darkness. For comparison, we also tested the ability to align an adjustable visual line (12 degrees diameter) to the direction of gravity (line vertical). For small head tilts (<40 degrees ), systematic errors in either task were almost negligible. In contrast, tilts >60 degrees revealed a pattern of large systematic errors (often >30 degrees ) that was virtually identical in both tasks. Regression analysis confirmed that mean errors in the two tasks were closely related, with slopes close to 1.0 and correlations >0.89. Control experiments ruled out that motion settings were based on processing of individual single-dot paths. We conclude that the conversion of both motion direction and line orientation on the retina into a spatial frame of reference involves a shared computational strategy. Simulations with two spatial-orientation models suggest that the pattern of systematic errors may be the downside of an optimal strategy for dealing with imperfections in the tilt signal that is implemented before the reference-frame transformation.
Authors:
M De Vrijer; W P Medendorp; J A M Van Gisbergen
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2007-12-19
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of neurophysiology     Volume:  99     ISSN:  0022-3077     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Neurophysiol.     Publication Date:  2008 Feb 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2008-02-14     Completed Date:  2008-06-12     Revised Date:  2008-11-21    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0375404     Medline TA:  J Neurophysiol     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  915-30     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Biophysics, Institute of Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. m.devrijer@science.ru.nl
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adaptation, Physiological*
Adult
Computer Simulation
Discrimination (Psychology) / physiology
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Models, Biological
Motion Perception / physiology*
Orientation / physiology*
Pattern Recognition, Visual / physiology*
Photic Stimulation / methods
Proprioception / physiology
Regression Analysis
Space Perception / physiology
Vision, Ocular / physiology*
Comments/Corrections
Erratum In:
J Neurophysiol. 2008 Apr;99(4):2034

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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