Task-related modulation of visual cortex

We performed a series of experiments to quantify the effects of task performance on cortical activity in early visual areas. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure cortical activity in several cortical visual areas including primary visual cortex (V1) and the MT complex (MT+) as subjects performed a variety of threshold-level visual psychophysical tasks. Performing speed, direction, and contrast discrimination tasks produced strong modulations of cortical activity. For example, one experiment tested for selective modulations of MT+ activity as subjects alternated between performing contrast and speed discrimination tasks. MT+ responses modulated in phase with the periods of time during which subjects performed the speed discrimination task; that is, MT+ activity was higher during speed discrimination than during contrast discrimination. Task-related modulations were consistent across repeated measurements in each subject; however, significant individual differences were observed between subjects. Together, the results suggest 1) that specific changes in the cognitive/behavioral state of a subject can exert selective and reliable modulations of cortical activity in early visual cortex, even in V1; 2) that there are significant individual differences in these modulations; and 3) that visual areas and pathways that are highly sensitive to small changes in a given stimulus feature (such as contrast or speed) are selectively modulated during discrimination judgments on that feature. Increasing the gain of the relevant neuronal signals in this way may improve their signal-to-noise to help optimize task performance.