Effect of connectivity and bistability on the visual potentials evoked by illusory figures

The present study aimed at testing functional hypotheses regarding two brain potentials elicited by illusory figures. Accordingly, the N1 potential indexes mechanisms connecting the separate parts of the illusory form, whereas a subsequent negative potential indexes compensatory processes triggered by perceptual difficulty. Here, perceptual difficulty was induced by bistability; that is, by equating the probability of perceiving the illusory form to that of perceiving the independent separate parts. We compared the brain potentials evoked by a strongly connected illusory square, with almost no bistability, with those evoked by a weakly connected illusory square presenting strong bistability. Consistent with our hypotheses, the latter figure evoked the smallest N1 and a larger negative component peaking at 360 ms (N360). These results strengthen the link between N1 and connection and between negativity to perceptual difficulty and perceptual difficulty.