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The attentional field has a Mexican hat distribution
Notger G Müller1, Maas Mollenhauer, Alexander Rösler
1Cognitive Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology and Brain Imaging Center, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. n.mueller@em.uni-frankfurt.de
Vision Research
|February 15, 2005
Summary
Distracter letters interfere with visual target identification based on distance. This attentional modulation pattern in the visual field, observed in behavior and primary visual cortex activity, suggests V1
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Visual Perception
Background:
- Attentional modulation influences visual perception.
- Previous research suggests a Mexican hat pattern of attentional modulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess distracter interference on target discrimination.
- To investigate the relationship between behavioral performance and neural activity in visual cortex.
Main Methods:
- Examined response time as a function of distracter-target distance.
- Related behavioral findings to neural activity suppression in primary visual cortex (V1).
Main Results:
- Response time-distance function supported a Mexican hat pattern of attentional modulation.
- Behavioral performance changes paralleled V1 activity modulation, not other brain areas.
Conclusions:
- Attentional modulation in the visual field follows a Mexican hat pattern.
- Primary visual cortex (V1) attentional response properties may determine perceptual capacities.