The Effects of Context and Attention on Spiking Activity in Human Early Visual Cortex.

ABSTRACT: Here we report the first quantitative analysis of spiking activity in human early visual cortex. We recorded multi-unit activity from two electrodes in area V2/V3 of a human patient implanted with depth electrodes as part of her treatment for epilepsy. We observed well-localized multi-unit receptive fields with tunings for contrast, orientation, spatial frequency, and size, similar to those reported in the macaque. We also observed pronounced gamma oscillations in the local-field potential that could be used to estimate the underlying spiking response properties. Spiking responses were modulated by visual context and attention. We observed orientation-tuned surround suppression: responses were suppressed by image regions with a uniform orientation and enhanced by orientation contrast. Addi

SUBMITTER: Self MW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4807817 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature