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Brightness illusions evoke pupil constriction preceded by a primary visual cortex response in rats.

Dmitrii Vasilev1,2,3, Isabel Raposo3, Nelson K Totah1,2,3

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Cerebral Cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)
|March 23, 2023
PubMed
Summary

The mind-body connection, where illusions cause pupil constriction, is not unique to humans. Rats exhibit this response, with primary visual cortex (V1) potentially playing a causal role in this illusion-driven bodily reaction.

Keywords:
EEGillusionmind–bodypupilrat

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychology
  • Physiology

Background:

  • The mind-body connection is mediated by the central nervous system (CNS) controlling the autonomic nervous system (ANS).
  • Illusory brightness perception in humans causes pupil constriction, but the underlying neural network is unknown.
  • This pupil response to illusions was previously thought to be exclusively human.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the neural basis of the mind-body connection in response to visual illusions.
  • To determine if the pupil constrictor response to a brightness illusion occurs in a non-human animal model.
  • To identify the specific brain regions involved in mediating this illusion-driven physiological response.

Main Methods:

  • Electroencephalography (EEG) was used to record cortex-wide brain activity in rats.
  • Rats were exposed to a specific visual stimulus designed to create an illusion of brightness.
  • Brain activity and pupil responses were compared between the illusion stimulus and a luminance-matched control stimulus.

Main Results:

  • Rats exhibited pupil constriction in response to the brightness illusion, mirroring the human response.
  • Primary visual cortex (V1) showed a significantly larger EEG response to the illusion compared to control stimuli.
  • This V1 activation preceded pupil constriction, suggesting a potential causal link.

Conclusions:

  • The mind-body connection, specifically the pupil response to illusory brightness, is conserved across species and not limited to humans.
  • Primary visual cortex (V1) is implicated as a key component in the mammalian CNS network responsible for processing illusions and initiating bodily reactions.
  • This study provides a foundation for further investigation into the neural mechanisms underlying how subjective perceptions influence physiological responses.