Dual-format attentional template during preparation in human visual cortex.

ABSTRACT: Goal-directed attention relies on forming internal templates of key information relevant for guiding behavior, particularly when preparing for upcoming sensory inputs. However, evidence on how these attentional templates are represented during preparation remains controversial. Here, we combine functional magnetic resonance imaging with an orientation cueing task to isolate preparatory activity from stimulus-evoked responses. Using multivariate pattern analysis, we found decodable information about the to-be-attended orientation during preparation; yet preparatory activity patterns were different from those evoked when actual orientations were perceived. When perturbing the neural activity by means of a visual impulse ('pinging' technique), the preparatory activity patterns in visual corte

SUBMITTER: Chen Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12571481 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature