Shape-coding in IT cells generalizes over contrast and mirror reversal, but not figure-ground reversal.
We assessed how the visual shape preferences of neurons in the inferior temporal cortex of awake, behaving monkeys generalized across three different stimulus transformations. Stimulus-preferences of particular cells among different polygon displays were correlated across reversed contrast polarity or mirror reversal, but not across figure-ground reversal. This corresponds with psychological findings on human shape judgments. Our results imply that neurons in inferior temporal cortex respond to components of visual shape derived only after figure-ground assignment of contours, not to the contours themselves.
Baylis
G C
GC
University of Plymouth, Plymouth Institute of Neuroscience, 12 Kirkby Place, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK. gordon@pion.ac.uk
Driver
J
J
D000818:Animals; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000502:physiology*; D005364:Field Dependence-Independence; D005556:Form Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*