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Temporal dynamics and readout latency in perception and iconic memory
Karla Matic1,2,3,4,5, Issam Tafech1,3,6, Peter König2,7,8,9
1Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin and Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate member of the Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.
Journal of Vision
|November 7, 2025
Summary
Visual sensory information decays rapidly after stimulus offset. Optimal readout requires cues presented 10-30ms before offset due to processing latency, not early memory loss.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Visual Perception
- Memory Research
Background:
- Iconic memory retains visual stimulus information briefly after offset.
- Information decay begins even during the final stages of stimulus presentation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the readout dynamics of visual representations.
- To investigate the transition from perception to iconic memory.
- To determine the optimal timing for cue presentation to access sensory information.
Main Methods:
- Utilized closely spaced readout cues.
- Employed a theoretical model of information availability.
- Analyzed the impact of cue timing and spatial proximity on reportable information.
Main Results:
- Full sensory information access requires cues presented 10-30ms before stimulus offset.
- This timing reflects cue processing latency, not early sensory encoding loss.
- Spatial proximity affects sensory representation during encoding and decay.
Conclusions:
- Visual information readout is characterized by a processing latency.
- Iconic memory readout is influenced by cue timing and item spatial arrangement.
- Provides insights into the perception-to-memory transition and visual information processing.
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