Dynamic Network Communication in the Human Functional Connectome Predicts Perceptual Variability in Visual Illusion
Zhiwei Wang1,2, Kristina Zeljic3, Qinying Jiang3
1Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
Cerebral Cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)
|November 9, 2017
Summary
Individual differences in visual perception are linked to brain network communication. Dynamic functional integration between visual brain networks during specific stimuli predicts perceptual variations in illusory motion.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Psychophysics
Background:
- Individual variability in visual perception is significant but often overlooked.
- Understanding the neural basis of perceptual differences is crucial for cognitive neuroscience.
- The Pinna-Brelstaff figure (PBF) offers a quantifiable measure for studying visual illusions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a psychophysical measure for illusory rotary motion using the PBF.
- To investigate the neural circuit mechanisms underlying individual differences in visual perception.
- To identify brain network dynamics associated with perceptual variability.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 73 healthy volunteers for psychophysical testing.
- Acquired functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 42 participants.
- Performed brain-wide graph analysis on stimulus-evoked functional connectivity patterns.
Main Results:
- Identified a functionally segregated brain architecture with 3 hierarchical networks.
- Found that communication efficiency between visual networks predicted perceptual differences.
- This prediction was specific to the illusory stimulus condition, not spontaneous activity.
Conclusions:
- Dynamic functional integration between brain networks is stimulus-dependent.
- This integration, particularly in visual areas, underlies human perceptual variability.
- Findings highlight the role of specific network interactions in shaping individual visual experiences.
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