Non‐stimulated regions in early visual cortex encode the contents of conscious visual perception

van Kemenade, B. M., Wilbertz, G., Müller, A. and Sterzer, P. (2022) Non‐stimulated regions in early visual cortex encode the contents of conscious visual perception. Human Brain Mapping, 43(4), pp. 1394-1402. (doi: 10.1002/hbm.25731) (PMID:34862702) (PMCID:PMC8837582)

Abstract

Predictions shape our perception. The theory of predictive processing poses that our brains make sense of incoming sensory input by generating predictions, which are sent back from higher to lower levels of the processing hierarchy. These predictions are based on our internal model of the world and enable inferences about the hidden causes of the sensory input data. It has been proposed that conscious perception corresponds to the currently most probable internal model of the world. Accordingly, predictions influencing conscious perception should be fed back from higher to lower levels of the processing hierarchy. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging and multivoxel pattern analysis to show that non‐stimulated regions of early visual areas contain information about the conscious perception of an ambiguous visual stimulus. These results indicate that early sensory cortices in the human brain receive predictive feedback signals that reflect the current contents of conscious perception.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: PS and BvK received support from the German Research Foundation (PS: DFG grants STE 1430/7-1 and STE 1430/8-1, BvK: KE 2016/2-1). Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: van Kemenade, Dr Bianca

Creator Roles

van Kemenade, B. M.: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Formal analysis, Writing – original draft, Writing – review and editing

• Authors: van Kemenade, B. M., Wilbertz, G., Müller, A., and Sterzer, P.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Psychology & Neuroscience
• Journal Name: Human Brain Mapping
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 1065-9471
• ISSN (Online): 1097-0193
• Published Online: 03 December 2021
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Human Brain Mapping 43(4): 1394-1402
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License