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Neural Correlates of Conscious Motion Perception
Gonzalo Boncompte1, Diego Cosmelli1,2
1Laboratorio de Psicofisiología, Escuela de Psicología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
|September 26, 2018
Summary
The P3b brainwave, not VAN, is a neural correlate of conscious visual motion perception. This finding extends P3b
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Psychology
Background:
- The neural basis of conscious perception, or Neural Correlates of Consciousness (NCCs), is debated.
- P3b and Visual Awareness Negativity (VAN) are leading candidates for visual NCCs.
- Previous studies primarily used static images, limiting NCC investigation to ventral stream processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate NCCs for consciously perceived local motion, a feature processed by the dorsal stream.
- To determine if P3b or VAN serves as the NCC for conscious motion perception.
Main Methods:
- Participants viewed stimuli designed to elicit conscious perception of local motion.
- Electroencephalography (EEG) recorded brain activity.
- Stimuli were controlled for physical equality between seen and unseen conditions.
Main Results:
- A P3b component with a centro-parietal distribution strongly correlated with stimulus detection.
- P3b magnitude was significantly larger for perceived (Seen) versus unperceived (Unseen) stimuli.
- The VAN component was not detected in the data.
Conclusions:
- P3b functions as a content-independent NCC for conscious visual motion perception.
- The findings challenge VAN as a primary NCC for visual awareness.
- This extends the role of P3b beyond static visual stimuli.
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