Temporal cortex participates in spontaneous perceptual reversal.
The Necker cube is perceived as two distinct three-dimensional forms; participants experience alternation between two mutually exclusive perceptions. Perceptual dominance for one form tends to be maintained when the visual stimulus is intermittently removed. The effect is enhanced with the Necker lattice (an array of Necker cubes). Neural processes underlying perceptual reversal and stabilization are unknown. Functional MRI was used to investigate the brain regions involved. Regional activation differed between endogenous and stimulus-driven perceptual reversals, and between reversal and stabilization. Our results indicated that the right anterior portion of superior temporal sulcus is likely to be involved in perceptual stabilization (perceptual memory), whereas reversal is modulated by destabilizing influences from the right frontal lobe.
Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing.
Lin
L
Shen
Zhi-Lei
ZL
Zeng
Pei-Yu
PY
Huang
Qi
Q
Li
Jun
J
Mu
Xiao-Qi
XQ
Huang
Su
S
Lui
Qi-Yong
QY
Gong
Peng
P
Xie
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007088:Illusions; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009949:Orientation; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult