Neuroscience 2001 Abstract
| Presentation Number: | 165.23 |
|---|---|
| Abstract Title: | NON-SPATIAL WORKING MEMORY EFFECTS IN AREA MST. |
| Authors: |
Dubin, M. J.*1
; Duffy, C. J.1,2
1Dept Neurobiol Anat, Univ Rochester Sch Med Dentistry, Rochester, NY 2Dept Neurology, Univ Rochester Sch Med Dentistry, Rochester, NY |
| Primary Theme and Topics |
Sensory Systems - Vision -- Extrastriate visual cortex: Motion and depth |
| Session: |
165. Vision: extrastriate visual cortex--motion and depth I Poster |
| Presentation Time: | Sunday, November 11, 2001 3:00 PM-4:00 PM |
| Location: | Exhibit Hall L-2 |
| Keywords: | Motion Perception, Attention, Spatial Memory, Parietal Cortex |
MST neurons respond selectively to optic flow seen during observer self-movement. Spatial attention enhances MST neuronal responses to moving object stimuli (Treue and Maunsell, 1996) and spatial working memory alters both the magnitude and directional tuning of MST neuronal responses to optic flow (Dubin and Duffy, SFN 1999). We have now found that non-spatial working memory also affects these responses and that task difficulty robustly influences those effects.
We recorded 190 MST neurons in two studies of responses to optic flow having foci-of-expansion (FOEs) at 30 deg eccentricity and 45 deg intervals around the centered fixation point. In the first study, two interleaved saccade tasks presented optic flow: a match-to-sample shape-memory task that included an optic flow distractor, and a flow-relevant task in which the FOE specified the location of the saccade target. Almost all (85%, 76/89) neurons were tuned for FOE location; 12% (9/76) showed significant task effects on the optic flow responses, mostly (67%, 6/9) response enhancement in the flow relevant trials.
In the second experiment, the shape-memory trials were interleaved with flow-relevant trials designed to be more difficult than those of experiment 1. In these trials, the optic flow indicating saccade direction was preceded by an irrelevant flow stimulus. Again, almost all neurons (89%, 90/101) were tuned for FOE location; 43% (39/90) showed a significant task effects on the optic flow responses, mostly (85%, 33/39) response enhancement in the flow relevant trials. Thus, greater task difficulty yielded about a 4-fold increase in significant task effects.
We recorded 190 MST neurons in two studies of responses to optic flow having foci-of-expansion (FOEs) at 30 deg eccentricity and 45 deg intervals around the centered fixation point. In the first study, two interleaved saccade tasks presented optic flow: a match-to-sample shape-memory task that included an optic flow distractor, and a flow-relevant task in which the FOE specified the location of the saccade target. Almost all (85%, 76/89) neurons were tuned for FOE location; 12% (9/76) showed significant task effects on the optic flow responses, mostly (67%, 6/9) response enhancement in the flow relevant trials.
In the second experiment, the shape-memory trials were interleaved with flow-relevant trials designed to be more difficult than those of experiment 1. In these trials, the optic flow indicating saccade direction was preceded by an irrelevant flow stimulus. Again, almost all neurons (89%, 90/101) were tuned for FOE location; 43% (39/90) showed a significant task effects on the optic flow responses, mostly (85%, 33/39) response enhancement in the flow relevant trials. Thus, greater task difficulty yielded about a 4-fold increase in significant task effects.
Supported by NIA R01-AG17596 to CJD and MSTP T32-GM07356 to MJD.
Sample Citation:
[Authors]. [Abstract Title]. Program No. XXX.XX. 2001 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. San Diego, CA: Society for Neuroscience, 2001. Online.
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