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Optic flow selectivity in the macaque parieto-occipital sulcus
Sabrina Pitzalis1,2, Fadila Hadj-Bouziane3,4, Giulia Dal Bò5
1Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome ''Foro Italico'', Rome, Italy. sabrina.pitzalis@uniroma4.it.
Brain Structure & Function
|May 27, 2021
Summary
This study investigated how macaque brains process optic flow, finding that the V6 area in the parieto-occipital sulcus is highly selective for coherent dot fields. Researchers did not find evidence of the cingulate sulcus visual area (CSv) responding to flow fields.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Visual Perception
- Comparative Neuroimaging
Background:
- Human neuroimaging shows optic flow activates higher-level motion areas like V6 and CSv.
- Macaque studies on V6 and CSv sensitivity to egomotion-compatible optic flow are limited.
- Previous fMRI studies in macaques showed CSv, but not V6, selectivity for optic flow.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional profile of macaque visual motion areas MT+ and V6 in response to optic flow stimuli.
- To compare the responses of macaque V6 and MT+ to optic flow with those of homologous human areas.
- To determine if macaque CSv responds to optic flow stimuli.
Main Methods:
- Used fMRI to study macaque brain responses to radial rings and flow fields, stimuli previously used in human studies.
- Applied optic flow and radial ring stimuli to functionally map motion middle temporal area (MT+) and medial parietal area V6.
- Analyzed brain regions for selective responses to optic flow, radial rings, or both.
Main Results:
- Identified regions in the macaque brain responding selectively to either optic flow or radial rings, and regions responding to both.
- A region in the parieto-occipital sulcus, likely including V6, showed high selectivity for coherently moving dot fields.
- No evidence was found for macaque CSv responding to flow fields.
Conclusions:
- Optic flow stimulation effectively activates V6 in macaque brains, similar to humans.
- Macaque V6 demonstrates high selectivity for specific optic flow patterns.
- The study did not find evidence supporting CSv's role in processing flow fields in macaques.
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