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Updated: Jul 20, 2026
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Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity
Published on: March 18, 2019
Neural correlates of sustained spatial attention in human early visual cortex
Michael A Silver1, David Ress, David J Heeger
1School of Optometry, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-2020, USA. masilver@berkeley.edu
Journal of Neurophysiology
|September 15, 2006
Summary
Sustained attention activates early visual cortex even without visual input. This brain activity, measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), shows sustained responses in visual areas V1, V2, and V3.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Visual Perception
Background:
- Top-down attention signals are believed to enhance perception by modulating visual cortex activity.
- Previous research focused on attention's effects during stimulus presentation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether sustained attention without visual stimulation elicits activity in early visual cortex.
- To determine if these sustained responses correlate with the spatial and temporal allocation of attention.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed to measure brain activity.
- Human subjects performed a visual detection task with a variable delay period before target presentation.
- Activity in visual areas V1, V2, and V3 was analyzed during the delay period.
Main Results:
- Sustained increases in activity were observed in visual cortex areas (V1, V2, V3) representing attended locations during the delay period.
- Conversely, activity decreased in areas representing unattended peripheral locations.
- A model fitting the data indicated constant neural activity amplitude throughout the delay period.
Conclusions:
- Sustained attention responses exist in early visual cortex, including primary visual cortex, even without ongoing visual stimulation.
- These sustained neural responses accurately reflect the spatial and temporal deployment of visuospatial attention.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Vision
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01:21Association Areas of the Cortex
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Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
01:26Visual System
Light enters the eye through the cornea, a transparent, dome-shaped surface covering the surface of the eyeball that helps to direct and focus incoming light. This light is then channeled toward the pupil, an adjustable opening whose size is controlled by the iris. The iris, a pigmented muscle, regulates the amount of light entering the eye by contracting or dilating the pupil, thereby ensuring optimal light levels for clear vision.
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...
01:14Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.