Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 10, 2026
14:34
How to Create and Use Binocular Rivalry
Published on: November 10, 2010
76.6K
Mesoscale developmental rivalry in human extrastriate visual cortex
Shahin Nasr1,2, Jan Skerswetat3,4, Bryan Kennedy1
1Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|November 24, 2025
Summary
The human visual system
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Visual Neuroscience
- Developmental Neuroscience
Background:
- The extrastriate visual cortex in primates has specialized columns for motion, disparity, and color.
- The developmental interactions between these visual processing modules are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mesoscale organization of the extrastriate visual cortex in individuals with normal vision and amblyopia.
- To understand the developmental competition between functional modules in the human visual cortex.
Main Methods:
- High-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to compare brain organization.
- 16 individuals with normal vision and 15 participants with amblyopia (due to strabismus or anisometropia) were studied.
Main Results:
- In controls, disparity-selective columns competed for cortical territory with motion- and color-selective columns.
- Participants with amblyopia showed reduced disparity responses and expanded territories for motion and color processing.
- Amblyopic individuals exhibited enhanced motion and color selectivity.
Conclusions:
- Mesoscale modules in the human visual system compete during development.
- Intact visual functions can expand their cortical representation at the expense of compromised functions.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Vision
59.2K
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.
59.2K
01:14Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
6.8K
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....
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....
6.8K
01:20Anatomy of the Eyeball
9.4K
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...
9.4K
01:15Depth Perception and Spatial Vision
1.8K
Depth perception is the ability to perceive objects three-dimensionally. It relies on two types of cues: binocular and monocular. Binocular cues depend on the combination of images from both eyes and how the eyes work together. Since the eyes are in slightly different positions, each eye captures a slightly different image. This disparity between images, known as binocular disparity, helps the brain interpret depth. When the brain compares these images, it determines the distance to an object.
1.8K
01:21Association Areas of the Cortex
8.7K
Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
8.7K
01:12Visual Agnosia
912
Visual agnosia is a condition characterized by the inability to recognize visually presented objects despite having normal vision. For instance, a person with visual agnosia can describe the shape and color of an object but cannot identify or name it. This impairment does not affect their visual field, acuity, color vision, brightness discrimination, language, or memory. An example of this condition in a social setting is someone at a dinner party asking for "that silver thing with a round...
912