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Updated: Jun 9, 2025

Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings
Published on: August 1, 2018
Border-ownership tuning determines the connectivity between V4 and V1 in the macaque visual system
Danique Jeurissen1,2,3, Anne F van Ham1, Amparo Gilhuis1
1Department of Vision & Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Higher visual areas send feedback to primary visual cortex (V1) to enhance figure-background modulation (FBM). Border-ownership (BO) selective cells in V4 provide this feedback, with positive feedback towards preferred figures and negative feedback away.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Visual Perception
- Cortical Connectivity
Background:
- Cortical feedback connections are abundant but their logic is unclear.
- Feedback from higher visual areas to primary visual cortex (V1) modulates figure-background perception (FBM).
- Border-ownership (BO) selective cells in areas like V4 are proposed sources of this feedback.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the connectivity between V4 and V1 cells.
- To understand the role of BO-tuned V4 cells in FBM.
- To model the feedback mechanism underlying FBM.
Main Methods:
- Examined V4-V1 cell connectivity using noise-correlations.
- Employed micro-stimulation to estimate connectivity strength.
- Developed a model to test feedback connectivity schemes.
Main Results:
- Connectivity patterns are consistent with BO-tuned V4 cells providing feedback.
- Feedback is positive in the direction of the preferred figure and negative in the opposite direction.
- This connectivity model successfully recreates observed FBM patterns.
Conclusions:
- BO-tuned V4 cells contribute to figure-background modulation through specific feedback.
- The study elucidates the cortical mechanisms of figure-background perception.
- A direct link is established between FBM and border-ownership tuning.
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