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Depth Perception and Spatial Vision

Depth Perception and Spatial Vision

Depth perception is the ability to perceive objects three-dimensionally. It relies on two types of cues: binocular and monocular. Binocular cues depend on the combination of images from both eyes and how the eyes work together. Since the eyes are in slightly different positions, each eye captures a slightly different image. This disparity between images, known as binocular disparity, helps the brain interpret depth. When the brain compares these images, it determines the distance to an object.

Working Memory

Working Memory

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Vision

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Visual agnosia is a condition characterized by the inability to recognize visually presented objects despite having normal vision. For instance, a person with visual agnosia can describe the shape and color of an object but cannot identify or name it. This impairment does not affect their visual field, acuity, color vision, brightness discrimination, language, or memory. An example of this condition in a social setting is someone at a dinner party asking for "that silver thing with a round end"...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

A Large Lateral Craniotomy Procedure for Mesoscale Wide-field Optical Imaging of Brain Activity

A Large Lateral Craniotomy Procedure for Mesoscale Wide-field Optical Imaging of Brain Activity

Published on: May 7, 2017

Spatial working memory effects in early visual cortex.

Jaap Munneke¹, Dirk J Heslenfeld, Jan Theeuwes

¹Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. JA.Munneke@psy.vu.nl

Brain and Cognition

|December 8, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Spatial working memory activates early visual cortex, showing retinotopic organization similar to spatial attention. This suggests spatial attention may serve as a rehearsal mechanism for working memory.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Psychology

Background:

Spatial working memory is crucial for daily tasks.
The neural mechanisms underlying spatial working memory, particularly its interaction with sensory cortices, are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of early visual cortex in spatial working memory.
To determine if activity in the visual cortex during memory retention is retinotopically organized.
To explore the relationship between spatial working memory and spatial attention in the visual cortex.

Main Methods:

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signals.
Participants maintained a specific location in spatial working memory during a retention interval without visual stimulation.
Retinotopic mapping techniques were employed to analyze activity in the early visual cortex.

Main Results:

BOLD signals in the early visual cortex were modulated during the spatial working memory retention interval.
This modulation exhibited retinotopic organization, corresponding to the remembered location.
The observed activity patterns were comparable to those elicited by directing spatial attention to the same location.

Conclusions:

Early visual cortex is recruited during spatial working memory maintenance.
Retinotopic organization suggests a spatially specific neural representation.
Spatial attention may function as a rehearsal mechanism for maintaining information in spatial working memory.