title: Surface area of early visual cortex predicts individual speed of traveling waves during binocular rivalry.
abstract: Binocular rivalry ensues when different images are presented to the 2 eyes with conscious perception alternating between the possible interpretations. For large rivalry displays, perceptual transitions are initiated at one location and spread to other parts of the visual field, a phenomenon termed "traveling wave." Previous studies investigated the underlying neural mechanisms of the traveling wave and surmised that primary visual cortex might play an important role. We used magnetic resonance imaging and behavioral measures in humans to explore how interindividual differences in observers' subjective experience of the wave are related to anatomical characteristics of cortical regions. We measured wave speed in participants and confirmed the long-term stability of the individual values. Retinotopic mapping was employed to delineate borders of visual areas V1-V3 in order to determine surface area and cortical thickness in those regions. Only the surface areas of V1 and V2, but not V3 showed a correlation with wave speed. For individuals with larger V1/V2 area, the traveling wave needed longer to spread across the same distance in visual space. Our results highlight the role of early visual areas in mediating binocular rivalry and suggest possible mechanisms for the correlation between surface area and the traveling waves.
authors: Department of Neurophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Ruhr University Bochum, Biopsychology, D-44780 Bochum, Germany Brain Imaging Center Frankfurt, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors: Erhan
authors: E
authors: Genç
authors: Department of Neurophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Brain Imaging Center Frankfurt, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors: Johanna
authors: J
authors: Bergmann
authors: Department of Neurophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Brain Imaging Center Frankfurt, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Ernst Strüngmann Institute (ESI) for Neuroscience in Cooperation with Max Planck Society, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, Goethe University, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors: Wolf
authors: W
authors: Singer
authors: Department of Neurophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Brain Imaging Center Frankfurt, D-60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Institute of Psychology, University of Münster, D-48149 Münster, Germany Current address: University of Osnabrück, Institute of Cognitive Science, Albrechtstr. 28, D-49076 Osnabrück, Germany.
authors: Axel
authors: A
authors: Kohler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009039:Motion Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D015348:Vision, Binocular / Q000502:physiology*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: binocular rivalry; interindividual differences; primary visual cortex; surface size; traveling wave