Motion direction is represented as a bimodal probability distribution in the human visual cortex.

ABSTRACT: Humans infer motion direction from noisy sensory signals. We hypothesize that to make these inferences more precise, the visual system computes motion direction not only from velocity but also spatial orientation signals - a 'streak' created by moving objects. We implement this hypothesis in a Bayesian model, which quantifies knowledge with probability distributions, and test its predictions using psychophysics and fMRI. Using a probabilistic pattern-based analysis, we decode probability distributions of motion direction from trial-by-trial activity in the human visual cortex. Corroborating the predictions, the decoded distributions have a bimodal shape, with peaks that predict the direction and magnitude of behavioral errors. Interestingly, we observe similar bimodality in the distributio

SUBMITTER: Chetverikov A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10665457 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature