Affective learning enhances visual detection and responses in primary visual cortex.
The affective significance of a visual item is thought to lead to enhanced visual processing. However, the precise link between enhanced visual perception of emotion-laden items and increased visual responses remains poorly understood. To investigate this link, we acquired functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data while participants performed a challenging visual detection task. Grating stimuli were physically identical and differed only as a function of their previous exposure history; CS+ stimuli were initially paired with shock, whereas CS- stimuli were not. Behaviorally, subjects were both faster and more accurate during CS+ relative to CS- target detection. These behavioral results were paralleled by increases in fMRI responses across early, retinotopically organized visual cortex, which was mapped in a separate fMRI session. Logistic regression analyses revealed that trial-by-trial fluctuations in fMRI responses were closely linked to trial type, such that fMRI signal strength reliably predicted the probability of a hit trial across retinotopically organized visual cortex, including area V1. For instance, during the CS+ condition, a 0.5% signal change increased the probability of a hit from chance to 67.3-73.5% in V1-V4 (the highest increase was observed in area V1). Furthermore, across participants, differential fMRI responses to hits versus correct rejects were correlated with behavioral performance. Our findings provide a close link between increased activation in early visual cortex and improved behavioral performance as a function of the affective significance of an item.
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA.
Srikanth
S
Padmala
Luiz
L
Pessoa
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D017603:Signal Detection, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*
D010100:Oxygen