TY - JOUR
T1 - Neural representation of feature synergy
AU - Kida, Tetsuo
AU - Tanaka, Emi
AU - Takeshima, Yasuyuki
AU - Kakigi, Ryusuke
PY - 2011/3/15
Y1 - 2011/3/15
N2 - Interactive non-linear cooperation of different feature dimensions, feature synergy, has been studied in psychophysics, but the neural mechanism is unknown. The present study investigated the neural representation of feature synergy of two second-order visual features by combining electroencephalography (EEG) with the signal detection theory (SDT). Two kinds of a 27-by-27 array of Gabor patches were presented in a random order; a reference stimulus which has no segregated region, and a target stimulus whose inner region differed in spatial frequency, orientation, or both from the surround. Subjects performed a Yes-No discrimination of whether the inner region was different from the surround, while EEG signals were recorded from 62 locations. When the SDT measure showed feature synergy, EEG activity showed a long-lasting enhancement starting at 130. ms around the inferior temporal region. In contrast, no EEG modulation was observed when feature synergy was not present. Thus, our combined approach demonstrates that non-linear cooperation between different features is represented by neural activity starting at 130. ms post-stimulus in the ventral visual stream.
AB - Interactive non-linear cooperation of different feature dimensions, feature synergy, has been studied in psychophysics, but the neural mechanism is unknown. The present study investigated the neural representation of feature synergy of two second-order visual features by combining electroencephalography (EEG) with the signal detection theory (SDT). Two kinds of a 27-by-27 array of Gabor patches were presented in a random order; a reference stimulus which has no segregated region, and a target stimulus whose inner region differed in spatial frequency, orientation, or both from the surround. Subjects performed a Yes-No discrimination of whether the inner region was different from the surround, while EEG signals were recorded from 62 locations. When the SDT measure showed feature synergy, EEG activity showed a long-lasting enhancement starting at 130. ms around the inferior temporal region. In contrast, no EEG modulation was observed when feature synergy was not present. Thus, our combined approach demonstrates that non-linear cooperation between different features is represented by neural activity starting at 130. ms post-stimulus in the ventral visual stream.
KW - Feature synergy
KW - Probability summation
KW - Signal detection theory
KW - Visual evoked potentials (VEPs)
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U2 - 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.11.054
DO - 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.11.054
M3 - Article
C2 - 21111826
AN - SCOPUS:79551575001
VL - 55
SP - 669
EP - 680
JO - NeuroImage
JF - NeuroImage
SN - 1053-8119
IS - 2
ER -