Top-down control of visual sensory processing during an ocular motor response inhibition task.
The study addressed whether top-down control of visual cortex supports volitional behavioral control in a novel antisaccade task. The hypothesis was that anticipatory modulations of visual cortex activity would differentiate trials on which subjects knew an anti- versus a pro-saccade response was required. Trials consisted of flickering checkerboards in both peripheral visual fields, followed by brightening of one checkerboard (target) while both kept flickering. Neural activation related to checkerboards before target onset (bias signal) was assessed using electroencephalography. Pretarget visual cortex responses to checkerboards were strongly modulated by task demands (significantly lower on antisaccade trials), an effect that may reduce the predisposition to saccade generation instigated by visual capture. The results illustrate how top-down sensory regulation can complement motor preparation to facilitate adaptive voluntary behavioral control.
Clementz
Brett A
BA
Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA. clementz@uga.edu
Gao
Yuan
Y
McDowell
Jennifer E
JE
Moratti
Stephan
S
Keedy
Sarah K
SK
Sweeney
John A
JA
D000328:Adult; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004569:Electroencephalography; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D012438:Saccades / Q000502:physiology; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D014794:Visual Fields; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult