ERP evidence of visualization at early stages of visual processing.
Recent neuroimaging research suggests that early visual processing circuits are activated similarly during visualization and perception but have not demonstrated that the cortical activity is similar in character. We found functional equivalency in cortical activity by recording evoked potentials while color and luminance patterns were viewed and while they were visualized with the eyes closed. Cortical responses were found to be different when imagining a color pattern vs. imagining a checkerboard luminance pattern, but the same when imagining a color pattern (or checkerboard pattern) vs. seeing the same pattern. This suggests that early visual processing stages may play a dynamic role in internal image generation, and further implies that visual imagery may modulate perception.
Department of Psychology, Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN, USA. pagej@dickinson.edu
Jonathan W
JW
Page
Paul
P
Duhamel
Michael A
MA
Crognale
D001931:Brain Mapping; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination / Q000502:physiology*; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000502:physiology*