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Published on: September 11, 2017
Attenuating illusory binding with TMS of the right parietal cortex
Michael Esterman1, Timothy Verstynen, Lynn C Robertson
1Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. esterman@jhu.edu <esterman@jhu.edu>
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the right intraparietal sulcus reduced illusory conjunctions, demonstrating the parietal cortex's role in feature binding. Basic perception remained unaffected, suggesting specific roles for this brain region.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Parietal cortex regions are implicated in binding visual features like color and form.
- Illusory conjunctions are binding errors where features are incorrectly combined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causal role of specific parietal cortex regions in visual feature binding.
- To examine the effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on illusory conjunctions.
Main Methods:
- 1 Hz repetitive TMS (rTMS) was applied to the right intraparietal sulcus (IPS), left IPS, and right angular gyrus (IPS/TOS junction).
- Participants performed a task to assess binding errors (illusory conjunctions) and basic feature perception.
Main Results:
- Reduced illusory conjunctions were observed after rTMS of the right IPS.
- No significant effects on illusory conjunctions or basic feature perception were found for left IPS or right angular gyrus stimulation.
Conclusions:
- The right intraparietal sulcus plays a causal role in visual feature binding.
- These findings suggest a specialized function for the parietal cortex in integrating visual information, potentially requiring a revision of current models.
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