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Midbrain activity can explain perceptual decisions during an attention task
James P Herman1, Leor N Katz2, Richard J Krauzlis3
1Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA. hermanj@gmail.com.
Abstract:
We introduce a decision model that interprets the relative levels of moment-by-moment spiking activity from the right and left superior colliculus to distinguish relevant from irrelevant stimulus events. The model explains detection performance in a covert attention task, both in intact animals and when performance is perturbed by causal manipulations. This provides a specific example of how midbrain activity could support perceptual judgments during attention tasks.
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