Scene complexity modulates degree of feedback activity during object detection in natural scenes
Iris I A Groen1, Sara Jahfari2,3, Noor Seijdel3
1New York University, Department of Psychology, New York, New York, United States of America.
Plos Computational Biology
|January 1, 2019
Summary
The brain uses rapid feed-forward processing for simple object recognition but enhances feedback activity for complex natural scenes. This recurrent processing is crucial for accurately identifying objects in visually cluttered environments.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Visual Perception
Background:
- Visual object recognition is thought to rely on rapid feed-forward neural processing.
- However, disruptions beyond initial feed-forward stages impact recognition, suggesting a more complex mechanism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of feedback activity in visual object recognition within complex natural scenes.
- To reconcile findings suggesting both rapid feed-forward and later feedback processing are involved.
Main Methods:
- Human participants performed an animal target detection task on natural scenes of varying complexity.
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and event-related potentials (ERPs) were used to measure neural activity.
- Drift diffusion modeling analyzed reaction time distributions and linked them to EEG feedback responses.
Main Results:
- fMRI showed enhanced activity in early visual cortex (V1) for targets in high-complexity scenes.
- ERPs indicated selectively enhanced feedback processing from ~220 ms onwards for high-complexity scenes.
- Behavioral performance degraded under time pressure, correlating with reduced feedback activity and slower information accumulation.
Conclusions:
- Object recognition in natural scenes dynamically recruits feedback processing, increasing with scene complexity.
- While feed-forward processing may suffice for isolated objects, recurrent processing is adaptively employed for complex visual environments.
- The brain utilizes feedback mechanisms more extensively for challenging visual recognition tasks.
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