Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 5, 2026
09:49
Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior
Published on: April 16, 2014
26.8K
Causal topography of visual cortex in perceptual learning
Paolo Capotosto1, Giorgia Committeri1, Antonello Baldassarre1
1Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, ITAB, Institute of Advanced Biomedical Technologies University "G. D'Annunzio", Chieti, Italy.
Neuroimage
|October 12, 2019
Summary
Practice improves visual skill through Visual Perceptual Learning (VPL). TMS over homologous trained visual cortex impaired performance, confirming its causal role in VPL.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Visual Perception
Background:
- Visual Perceptual Learning (VPL) enhances visual skills with practice.
- Previous studies implicated dorsal visual regions in VPL, but causality remained unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To causally map the visual network involved in VPL using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS).
- To investigate the role of homologous trained visual cortex in VPL.
Main Methods:
- TMS was applied over the homologous of the trained visual area (left V2d/V3) and an untrained region (right V4).
- Behavioral accuracy was measured after TMS to assess performance impairment.
- Correlation analysis was performed between TMS effects and learning degree.
Main Results:
- TMS over the homologous trained area (left V2d/V3) significantly decreased accuracy compared to control conditions.
- The impairment was correlated with the degree of individual learning.
- No significant impairment was observed with TMS over the untrained region (right V4).
Conclusions:
- The homologous trained visual cortex plays a causal role in Visual Perceptual Learning.
- Specific, segregated regions within the visual network are critical for VPL.
- TMS is a valuable tool for causally investigating the neural basis of VPL.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
6.7K
The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex....
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex....
6.7K
01:24Vision
59.2K
Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.
59.2K
01:24Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex
2.1K
The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at...
2.1K
01:21Association Areas of the Cortex
8.7K
Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
8.7K
01:21Cognitive Learning
950
Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
950
01:26Visual System
1.6K
Light enters the eye through the cornea, a transparent, dome-shaped surface covering the surface of the eyeball that helps to direct and focus incoming light. This light is then channeled toward the pupil, an adjustable opening whose size is controlled by the iris. The iris, a pigmented muscle, regulates the amount of light entering the eye by contracting or dilating the pupil, thereby ensuring optimal light levels for clear vision.
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...
1.6K