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Dynamic changes in spatial representation within the posterior parietal cortex in response to visuomotor adaptation.
S Schintu1,2,3, D J Kravitz2, E H Silson4,5
1Behavioral Neurology Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
Cerebral Cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)
|August 21, 2022
Summary
Prism adaptation dynamically reorganizes spatial representations in the posterior parietal cortex (PPC). This brain region
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Visual Perception
Background:
- Retinotopic organization extends beyond primary visual cortex into higher visual pathways.
- Posterior parietal cortex (PPC) spatial representation is influenced by attention.
- The dynamic nature of PPC spatial representation and its role in learning remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether spatial representation in the PPC is dynamic and flexible.
- To determine if this flexibility contributes to visuospatial learning.
- To examine changes in spatial representation in the PPC and early visual cortex after prism adaptation.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) population receptive field (pRF) mapping.
- Prism adaptation (PA) to induce visuospatial attention shifts.
- Comparison of pRF mapping before and after PA.
Main Results:
- Adaptation to left-shifting prisms increased pRF size in the left PPC.
- Spatial representation in the early visual cortex remained unchanged.
- This is the first evidence of PA-induced dynamic reorganization in the PPC.
Conclusions:
- Spatial representations in the PPC are not only modulated by attention but also dynamically reorganize in response to external factors.
- Visuomotor adaptation, like PA, can alter PPC spatial representations.
- Findings suggest a flexible and adaptive nature of spatial processing in the PPC.
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