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Updated: Feb 18, 2026
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Author Spotlight: Insights into Visual Cortex Research Through Wide-View fMRI Mapping
Published on: December 8, 2023
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Attention Priority Map of Face Images in Human Early Visual Cortex.
Ce Mo1,2,3,4, Dongjun He5, Fang Fang1,2,3,4
1School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, moce@pku.edu.cn ffang@pku.edu.cn.
Summary
Researchers identified attention priority maps for natural face stimuli in early visual areas (V1-V3). Image configuration significantly influences these maps in extrastriate cortex, expanding attention theories beyond salience and task relevance.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Visual Perception
Background:
- Attention priority maps guide visual processing and behavior.
- Neural evidence for priority maps of natural stimuli is limited.
- Investigating natural stimuli is challenging due to complexity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate neural correlates of attention priority maps for natural face stimuli.
- To characterize behavioral priority maps using eye movement patterns.
- To explore the influence of image configuration on visual attention.
Main Methods:
- Reconstructed topographic representations from fMRI BOLD signals in V1-V3 using a population receptive field model.
- Behaviorally characterized priority maps via first saccadic eye movements during face-matching tasks.
- Compared responses to upright/inverted faces versus phase-scrambled faces.
Main Results:
- Differential eye movement patterns for faces predicted topographic representations in V1-V3.
- Coupling between representations and eye movements increased from V1 to V2/3 for upright faces.
- Face inversion modulated coupling in extrastriate cortex (V2/3) but not V1.
Conclusions:
- Attention priority maps exist for natural stimuli in early visual areas (V1-V3).
- Image configuration is a critical factor modulating priority maps in extrastriate cortex.
- Findings extend attention theories by incorporating stimulus configuration.
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