Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Vision01:24

Vision

53.2K
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.
53.2K
Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways01:22

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

6.0K
At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category,...
6.0K
Anatomy of the Eyeball01:20

Anatomy of the Eyeball

7.1K
The eye is a spherical, hollow structure composed of three tissue layers. The outer layer — the fibrous tunic, comprises the sclera — a white structure — and the cornea, which is transparent. The sclera encompasses some of the ocular surface, most of which is not visible. However, the 'white of the eye' is distinctively visible in humans compared to other species. The cornea, a clear covering at the front of the eye, enables light penetration. The eye's middle...
7.1K
Visual System01:26

Visual System

579
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...
579
The Retina01:32

The Retina

69.0K
The retina is a layer of nervous tissue at the back of the eye that transduces light into neural signals. This process, called phototransduction, is carried out by rod and cone photoreceptor cells in the back of the retina.
69.0K
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

3.8K
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....
3.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The Human Visual Claustrum Responses to Physical Stimulus Properties and Subjective Content During Movie Viewing.

Human brain mapping·2026
Same author

Online decoding of rat self-paced locomotion speed from EEG using recurrent neural networks.

Journal of neural engineering·2026
Same author

Diversity of ancestral brainstem noradrenergic neurons across species and multiple biological factors.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2024
Same author

In search of the locus coeruleus: guidelines for identifying anatomical boundaries and electrophysiological properties of the blue spot in mice, fish, finches, and beyond.

Journal of neurophysiology·2024
Same author

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

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)·2023
Same author

Distinct ensembles in the noradrenergic locus coeruleus are associated with diverse cortical states.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2022

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 28, 2025

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior
09:49

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior

Published on: April 16, 2014

25.3K

Brightness illusions drive a neuronal response in the primary visual cortex under top-down modulation.

Alireza Saeedi1,2, Kun Wang1,3, Ghazaleh Nikpourian1

  • 1Department of Physiology of Cognitive Processes, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.

Nature Communications
|April 23, 2024
PubMed
Summary

Neural circuits for visual illusions were studied in mice. Primary visual cortex (V1) neurons process illusory gratings, with feedback from higher visual areas (HVAs) crucial for illusion perception.

More Related Videos

Monocular Visual Deprivation and Ocular Dominance Plasticity Measurement in the Mouse Primary Visual Cortex
08:42

Monocular Visual Deprivation and Ocular Dominance Plasticity Measurement in the Mouse Primary Visual Cortex

Published on: February 8, 2020

10.0K
Applying Incongruent Visual-Tactile Stimuli during Object Transfer with Vibro-Tactile Feedback
05:43

Applying Incongruent Visual-Tactile Stimuli during Object Transfer with Vibro-Tactile Feedback

Published on: May 23, 2019

5.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 28, 2025

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior
09:49

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior

Published on: April 16, 2014

25.3K
Monocular Visual Deprivation and Ocular Dominance Plasticity Measurement in the Mouse Primary Visual Cortex
08:42

Monocular Visual Deprivation and Ocular Dominance Plasticity Measurement in the Mouse Primary Visual Cortex

Published on: February 8, 2020

10.0K
Applying Incongruent Visual-Tactile Stimuli during Object Transfer with Vibro-Tactile Feedback
05:43

Applying Incongruent Visual-Tactile Stimuli during Object Transfer with Vibro-Tactile Feedback

Published on: May 23, 2019

5.5K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Visual Perception
  • Computational Neuroscience

Background:

  • Brightness illusions are vital for understanding visual processing.
  • Neural mechanisms underlying visual illusions remain largely unknown.
  • Previous studies lack direct evidence of primary visual cortex (V1) involvement in processing visual illusions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the neural basis of brightness illusions in the mouse visual system.
  • To determine the role of primary visual cortex (V1) neurons in processing illusory visual stimuli.
  • To explore the contribution of feedback from higher visual areas (HVAs) to illusion perception.

Main Methods:

  • Presented illusory drifting gratings to mice, adapting a human visual illusion paradigm.
  • Recorded neural activity in V1 neurons in response to both real and illusory gratings.
  • Utilized optogenetic inhibition of HVAs to assess feedback mechanisms.
  • Measured pupil responses (PR) as an indirect perceptual correlate.

Main Results:

  • V1 neurons exhibited direction selectivity to illusory gratings, similar to real gratings.
  • V1 responses to illusions were delayed compared to real stimuli, suggesting feedback involvement.
  • Optogenetic inhibition of HVAs selectively reduced V1 responses to illusions, not real gratings.
  • Mouse pupil responses to perceived luminance changes mirrored human responses.

Conclusions:

  • V1 neurons are directly involved in processing visual illusions.
  • Feedback from higher visual areas is essential for the generation of brightness illusion perception.
  • The mouse pupil response serves as a reliable indicator of perceived luminance changes in illusion studies.