Open Access Publications
From research on the visual systems of turtles, to the perception of faces with or without makeup, to transaccadic perception and perceptual cycles in the brain– VPixx hardware and software solutions have supported research in vision science and beyond for over 20 years. We are immensely proud of the discoveries and accomplishments of our customers across the world.
On this page you will find a non-exhaustive list of peer-reviewed, open access publications citing VPixx tools dating back to 2003. Browse the list or use the tag filter to search for specific products. Note that we report the device used in the paper according to the authors; this may not accurately reflect the specific model of device used (e.g., VIEWPixx vs. VIEWPixx /3D). Nor do we guarantee the accuracy of published content. Please contact our team at [email protected] if you have any questions about a specific paper.
Curious about a specific application of our tools? Can’t find what you are looking for? Our staff scientists are happy to discuss paradigms and protocols using our equipment by email or video chat. Please contact us with your questions.
Want to have your work added to our library? Send us a message at [email protected] and we will add it. Your article must be peer-reviewed, open access, and it must indicate VPixx products were used in the research.
Use the search tool below to search for specific terms among the titles, authors and abstracts in our library.
281.
Eastman, Kyler; Huk, Alexander
PLDAPS: A Hardware Architecture and Software Toolbox for Neurophysiology Requiring Complex Visual Stimuli and Online Behavioral Control Journal Article
In: Frontiers in Neuroinformatics, vol. 6, 2012, ISSN: 1662-5196.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: DATAPixx
@article{eastman_pldaps_2012,
title = {PLDAPS: A Hardware Architecture and Software Toolbox for Neurophysiology Requiring Complex Visual Stimuli and Online Behavioral Control},
author = {Kyler Eastman and Alexander Huk},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fninf.2012.00001},
issn = {1662-5196},
year = {2012},
date = {2012-01-01},
urldate = {2023-12-21},
journal = {Frontiers in Neuroinformatics},
volume = {6},
abstract = {Neurophysiological studies in awake, behaving primates (both human and non-human) have focused with increasing scrutiny on the temporal relationship between neural signals and behaviors. Consequently, laboratories are often faced with the problem of developing experimental equipment that can support data recording with high temporal precision and also be flexible enough to accommodate a wide variety of experimental paradigms. To this end, we have developed a MATLAB toolbox that integrates several modern pieces of equipment, but still grants experimenters the flexibility of a high-level programming language. Our toolbox takes advantage of three popular and powerful technologies: the Plexon apparatus for neurophysiological recordings (Plexon, Inc., Dallas, TX, USA), a Datapixx peripheral (Vpixx Technologies, Saint-Bruno, QC, Canada) for control of analog, digital, and video input–output signals, and the Psychtoolbox MATLAB toolbox for stimulus generation (Brainard, 1997; Pelli, 1997; Kleiner et al., 2007). The PLDAPS (“Platypus”) system is designed to support the study of the visual systems of awake, behaving primates during multi-electrode neurophysiological recordings, but can be easily applied to other related domains. Despite its wide range of capabilities and support for cutting-edge video displays and neural recording systems, the PLDAPS system is simple enough for someone with basic MATLAB programming skills to design their own experiments.},
keywords = {DATAPixx},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Neurophysiological studies in awake, behaving primates (both human and non-human) have focused with increasing scrutiny on the temporal relationship between neural signals and behaviors. Consequently, laboratories are often faced with the problem of developing experimental equipment that can support data recording with high temporal precision and also be flexible enough to accommodate a wide variety of experimental paradigms. To this end, we have developed a MATLAB toolbox that integrates several modern pieces of equipment, but still grants experimenters the flexibility of a high-level programming language. Our toolbox takes advantage of three popular and powerful technologies: the Plexon apparatus for neurophysiological recordings (Plexon, Inc., Dallas, TX, USA), a Datapixx peripheral (Vpixx Technologies, Saint-Bruno, QC, Canada) for control of analog, digital, and video input–output signals, and the Psychtoolbox MATLAB toolbox for stimulus generation (Brainard, 1997; Pelli, 1997; Kleiner et al., 2007). The PLDAPS (“Platypus”) system is designed to support the study of the visual systems of awake, behaving primates during multi-electrode neurophysiological recordings, but can be easily applied to other related domains. Despite its wide range of capabilities and support for cutting-edge video displays and neural recording systems, the PLDAPS system is simple enough for someone with basic MATLAB programming skills to design their own experiments.
282.
Nichols, David F.; Wilson, Hugh R.
Stimulus specificity in spatially-extended interocular suppression Journal Article
In: Vision Research, vol. 49, no. 16, pp. 2110–2120, 2009, ISSN: 0042-6989.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: VPixxProgram
@article{nichols_stimulus_2009,
title = {Stimulus specificity in spatially-extended interocular suppression},
author = {David F. Nichols and Hugh R. Wilson},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0042698909002673},
doi = {10.1016/j.visres.2009.06.001},
issn = {0042-6989},
year = {2009},
date = {2009-08-01},
urldate = {2023-12-21},
journal = {Vision Research},
volume = {49},
number = {16},
pages = {2110–2120},
abstract = {In typical binocular rivalry demonstrations, disparate images presented in corresponding locations to the two eyes are found to alternate perceptually over time. Alternation in perception can occur even if the images presented to the two eyes do not overlap, if they are sufficiently close in space. This implies a spatial spread in the interocular interaction. The current set of experiments explores how the luminance pattern of a target, in relation to a rivalrous suppressor, affects its susceptibility to suppression. It was found that the susceptibility to suppression of a target pattern was nonlinearly related to the amount of luminance variation along the target in the direction perpendicular to the suppressing stimulus. For instance, there was a strong effect of the orientation of the grating pattern within the target on the total time of suppression, with much more suppression for horizontal gratings than vertical gratings when suppressor bars were oriented vertically, regardless of the luminance pattern within the suppressors. Furthermore, it was shown that the inclusion of a spatial gap between the vertical suppressors and the central portion of the target does more than simply change the spatial relationships, it adds new figural information, such as vertically orientated edges in the targets, that modify the susceptibility to suppression of the target, thereby interfering with measurements of spatial interaction functions. All of the results are consistent with selectively suppressing stimulus information that would interfere with stereoscopic matching to aid the binocular fusion of disparate retinal images.},
keywords = {VPixxProgram},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
In typical binocular rivalry demonstrations, disparate images presented in corresponding locations to the two eyes are found to alternate perceptually over time. Alternation in perception can occur even if the images presented to the two eyes do not overlap, if they are sufficiently close in space. This implies a spatial spread in the interocular interaction. The current set of experiments explores how the luminance pattern of a target, in relation to a rivalrous suppressor, affects its susceptibility to suppression. It was found that the susceptibility to suppression of a target pattern was nonlinearly related to the amount of luminance variation along the target in the direction perpendicular to the suppressing stimulus. For instance, there was a strong effect of the orientation of the grating pattern within the target on the total time of suppression, with much more suppression for horizontal gratings than vertical gratings when suppressor bars were oriented vertically, regardless of the luminance pattern within the suppressors. Furthermore, it was shown that the inclusion of a spatial gap between the vertical suppressors and the central portion of the target does more than simply change the spatial relationships, it adds new figural information, such as vertically orientated edges in the targets, that modify the susceptibility to suppression of the target, thereby interfering with measurements of spatial interaction functions. All of the results are consistent with selectively suppressing stimulus information that would interfere with stereoscopic matching to aid the binocular fusion of disparate retinal images.
283.
Buckthought, Athena; Kim, Jeounghoon; Wilson, Hugh R.
Hysteresis effects in stereopsis and binocular rivalry Journal Article
In: Vision Research, vol. 48, no. 6, pp. 819–830, 2008, ISSN: 0042-6989.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: VPixxProgram
@article{buckthought_hysteresis_2008,
title = {Hysteresis effects in stereopsis and binocular rivalry},
author = {Athena Buckthought and Jeounghoon Kim and Hugh R. Wilson},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0042698907005731},
doi = {10.1016/j.visres.2007.12.013},
issn = {0042-6989},
year = {2008},
date = {2008-03-01},
urldate = {2023-12-21},
journal = {Vision Research},
volume = {48},
number = {6},
pages = {819–830},
abstract = {Neural hysteresis plays a fundamental role in stereopsis and reveals the existence of positive feedback at the cortical level [Wilson, H. R., & Cowan, J. D. (1973). A mathematical theory of the functional dynamics of cortical and thalamic nervous tissue. Kybernetik 13(2), 55–80]. We measured hysteresis as a function of orientation disparity in tilted gratings in which a transition is perceived between stereopsis and binocular rivalry. The patterns consisted of sinusoidal gratings with orientation disparities (0°, 1°, 2°, …, 40°) resulting in various degrees of tilt. A movie of these 41 pattern pairs was shown at a rate of 0.5, 1 or 2 pattern pairs per second, in forward or reverse order. Two transition points were measured: the point at which the single tilted grating appeared to split into two rivalrous gratings (T1), and the point at which two rivalrous gratings appeared to merge into a single tilted grating (T2). The transitions occurred at different orientation disparities (T1=25.4°},
keywords = {VPixxProgram},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Neural hysteresis plays a fundamental role in stereopsis and reveals the existence of positive feedback at the cortical level [Wilson, H. R., & Cowan, J. D. (1973). A mathematical theory of the functional dynamics of cortical and thalamic nervous tissue. Kybernetik 13(2), 55–80]. We measured hysteresis as a function of orientation disparity in tilted gratings in which a transition is perceived between stereopsis and binocular rivalry. The patterns consisted of sinusoidal gratings with orientation disparities (0°, 1°, 2°, …, 40°) resulting in various degrees of tilt. A movie of these 41 pattern pairs was shown at a rate of 0.5, 1 or 2 pattern pairs per second, in forward or reverse order. Two transition points were measured: the point at which the single tilted grating appeared to split into two rivalrous gratings (T1), and the point at which two rivalrous gratings appeared to merge into a single tilted grating (T2). The transitions occurred at different orientation disparities (T1=25.4°
284.
Brosseau-Lachaine, Odile; Gagnon, Isabelle; Forget, Robert; Faubert, Jocelyn
Mild traumatic brain injury induces prolonged visual processing deficits in children Journal Article
In: Brain Injury, vol. 22, no. 9, pp. 657–668, 2008, ISSN: 0269-9052, 1362-301X.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: VPixxProgram
@article{brosseau-lachaine_mild_2008,
title = {Mild traumatic brain injury induces prolonged visual processing deficits in children},
author = {Odile Brosseau-Lachaine and Isabelle Gagnon and Robert Forget and Jocelyn Faubert},
url = {http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02699050802203353},
doi = {10.1080/02699050802203353},
issn = {0269-9052, 1362-301X},
year = {2008},
date = {2008-01-01},
urldate = {2023-12-21},
journal = {Brain Injury},
volume = {22},
number = {9},
pages = {657–668},
abstract = {Primary objective: To compare the sensitivity to simple and complex visual stimuli of children who have sustained a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) to that of matched non-injured children and to determine the evolution of visuo-perceptual performance over time.},
keywords = {VPixxProgram},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Primary objective: To compare the sensitivity to simple and complex visual stimuli of children who have sustained a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) to that of matched non-injured children and to determine the evolution of visuo-perceptual performance over time.
285.
Buckthought, Athena; Wilson, Hugh R.
Interaction between binocular rivalry and depth in plaid patterns Journal Article
In: Vision Research, vol. 47, no. 19, pp. 2543–2556, 2007, ISSN: 0042-6989.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: VPixxProgram
@article{buckthought_interaction_2007,
title = {Interaction between binocular rivalry and depth in plaid patterns},
author = {Athena Buckthought and Hugh R. Wilson},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0042698907002842},
doi = {10.1016/j.visres.2007.06.011},
issn = {0042-6989},
year = {2007},
date = {2007-09-01},
urldate = {2023-12-21},
journal = {Vision Research},
volume = {47},
number = {19},
pages = {2543–2556},
abstract = {Binocular rivalry was studied using plaids which were the sum of orthogonal diagonal gratings plus identical vertical gratings in the two eyes. The rivalry alternations sped up as the spatial frequency difference between the vertical and diagonal gratings was increased above about one octave, but slowed down for smaller differences. The interaction between depth and rivalry was studied using similar plaids but with depth introduced in the vertical components. Depth and rivalry coexisted when the spatial frequency difference between the vertical and diagonal gratings was greater than about one octave, but rivalry slowed down and depth perception was reduced for smaller differences. Plaids consisting of square wave gratings were used to compare: (1) added gratings; (2) vertical gratings superimposed on (i.e. occluding) diagonal gratings; (3) diagonal gratings superimposed on vertical gratings. Rivalry alternations were fastest in condition (3), indicating that grouping effects played a role. The final experiment indicated that depth and rivalry coexisted within a spatial frequency band if the orientation difference between the vertical and diagonal components was 60–70°. These results place constraints on models of stereopsis and rivalry, indicating that depth and rivalry can coexist in different spatial frequency and orientation bands but that each interferes with the other in the same band.},
keywords = {VPixxProgram},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Binocular rivalry was studied using plaids which were the sum of orthogonal diagonal gratings plus identical vertical gratings in the two eyes. The rivalry alternations sped up as the spatial frequency difference between the vertical and diagonal gratings was increased above about one octave, but slowed down for smaller differences. The interaction between depth and rivalry was studied using similar plaids but with depth introduced in the vertical components. Depth and rivalry coexisted when the spatial frequency difference between the vertical and diagonal gratings was greater than about one octave, but rivalry slowed down and depth perception was reduced for smaller differences. Plaids consisting of square wave gratings were used to compare: (1) added gratings; (2) vertical gratings superimposed on (i.e. occluding) diagonal gratings; (3) diagonal gratings superimposed on vertical gratings. Rivalry alternations were fastest in condition (3), indicating that grouping effects played a role. The final experiment indicated that depth and rivalry coexisted within a spatial frequency band if the orientation difference between the vertical and diagonal components was 60–70°. These results place constraints on models of stereopsis and rivalry, indicating that depth and rivalry can coexist in different spatial frequency and orientation bands but that each interferes with the other in the same band.
286.
Grünau, Michael W.; Pilgrim, Kamala; Zhou, Rong
Velocity discrimination thresholds for flowfield motions with moving observers Journal Article
In: Vision Research, vol. 47, no. 18, pp. 2453–2464, 2007, ISSN: 0042-6989.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: VPixxProgram
@article{von_grunau_velocity_2007,
title = {Velocity discrimination thresholds for flowfield motions with moving observers},
author = {Michael W. Grünau and Kamala Pilgrim and Rong Zhou},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0042698907002799},
doi = {10.1016/j.visres.2007.06.008},
issn = {0042-6989},
year = {2007},
date = {2007-08-01},
urldate = {2023-12-21},
journal = {Vision Research},
volume = {47},
number = {18},
pages = {2453–2464},
abstract = {The visual flow field, produced by forward locomotion, contains useful information about many aspects of visually guided behavior. But locomotion itself also contributes to possible distortions by adding head bobbing motions. Here we examine whether vertical head bobbing affects velocity discrimination thresholds and how the system may compensate for the distortions. Vertical head and eye movements while fixating were recorded during standing, walking or running on a treadmill. Bobbing noise was found to be larger during locomotion. The same observers were equally good at discriminating velocity increases in large accelerating flow fields when standing or walking or running. Simulated head bobbing was compensated when produced by pursuit eye movements, but not when it was part of the flow field. The results showed that these two contributions are additive and dealt with independently before they are combined. Distortions produced by body/head oscillations may also be compensated. Visual performance during running was at least as good as during walking, suggesting more efficient compensation mechanisms for running.},
keywords = {VPixxProgram},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The visual flow field, produced by forward locomotion, contains useful information about many aspects of visually guided behavior. But locomotion itself also contributes to possible distortions by adding head bobbing motions. Here we examine whether vertical head bobbing affects velocity discrimination thresholds and how the system may compensate for the distortions. Vertical head and eye movements while fixating were recorded during standing, walking or running on a treadmill. Bobbing noise was found to be larger during locomotion. The same observers were equally good at discriminating velocity increases in large accelerating flow fields when standing or walking or running. Simulated head bobbing was compensated when produced by pursuit eye movements, but not when it was part of the flow field. The results showed that these two contributions are additive and dealt with independently before they are combined. Distortions produced by body/head oscillations may also be compensated. Visual performance during running was at least as good as during walking, suggesting more efficient compensation mechanisms for running.
287.
Thibault, Delphine; Brosseau-Lachaine, Odile; Faubert, Jocelyn; Vital-Durand, François
Maturation of the sensitivity for luminance and contrast modulated patterns during development of normal and pathological human children Journal Article
In: Vision Research, vol. 47, no. 12, pp. 1561–1569, 2007, ISSN: 0042-6989.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: VPixxProgram
@article{thibault_maturation_2007,
title = {Maturation of the sensitivity for luminance and contrast modulated patterns during development of normal and pathological human children},
author = {Delphine Thibault and Odile Brosseau-Lachaine and Jocelyn Faubert and François Vital-Durand},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0042698907001265},
doi = {10.1016/j.visres.2007.03.009},
issn = {0042-6989},
year = {2007},
date = {2007-06-01},
urldate = {2023-12-21},
journal = {Vision Research},
volume = {47},
number = {12},
pages = {1561–1569},
abstract = {Any object may contain at least two spatio-temporal components referred to as first- and second-order, respectively, defined by spatial-temporal luminance modulation or by contrast, texture or depth modulation. This study investigates form sensitivity of infants, normals, premature or strabismic. A two-alternative forced-choice preferential looking procedure was used in monocular and binocular condition. Maturation profile for both stimuli was similar in the control group. Strabismic infants showed a vertical offset in maturation, which affected the second-order more severely. The pre-term group showed a lag of second-order sensitivity. Our results underline differences between first- and second-order processing.},
keywords = {VPixxProgram},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Any object may contain at least two spatio-temporal components referred to as first- and second-order, respectively, defined by spatial-temporal luminance modulation or by contrast, texture or depth modulation. This study investigates form sensitivity of infants, normals, premature or strabismic. A two-alternative forced-choice preferential looking procedure was used in monocular and binocular condition. Maturation profile for both stimuli was similar in the control group. Strabismic infants showed a vertical offset in maturation, which affected the second-order more severely. The pre-term group showed a lag of second-order sensitivity. Our results underline differences between first- and second-order processing.
288.
Tarita-Nistor, Luminita; González, Esther G.; Markowitz, Samuel N.; Steinbach, Martin J.
Binocular interactions in patients with age-related macular degeneration: Acuity summation and rivalry Journal Article
In: Vision Research, vol. 46, no. 16, pp. 2487–2498, 2006, ISSN: 0042-6989.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: VPixxProgram
@article{tarita-nistor_binocular_2006,
title = {Binocular interactions in patients with age-related macular degeneration: Acuity summation and rivalry},
author = {Luminita Tarita-Nistor and Esther G. González and Samuel N. Markowitz and Martin J. Steinbach},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0042698906000642},
doi = {10.1016/j.visres.2006.01.035},
issn = {0042-6989},
year = {2006},
date = {2006-08-01},
urldate = {2023-12-21},
journal = {Vision Research},
volume = {46},
number = {16},
pages = {2487–2498},
abstract = {This study examined two aspects of binocular function in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD): summation/inhibition of visual acuity and rivalry. The performance of 17 patients with AMD was compared with that of 17 elderly controls and 21 young people. Monocular and binocular acuities were measured using a multiple-E optotype test. Binocular ratios, defined as the better-eye acuity divided by the binocular acuity, were calculated. We also measured eye dominance during rivalry (proportion of time the participants reported perceiving the input to each eye) and rivalry rates (number of alternations per minute). The results showed that while overall binocular ratios were similar for the three groups, the frequency distributions of people who experienced inhibition, equality or summation were different for the young and AMD groups. In the rivalry test, patients experienced more piecemeal perception than the elderly and young controls, but time dominance from the better-seeing eye was comparable for the three groups. Rivalry rates decreased with age and further with pathology. Moreover, rivalry time dominance of the worse-seeing eye was negatively correlated with interocular acuity differences for the AMD group.},
keywords = {VPixxProgram},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
This study examined two aspects of binocular function in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD): summation/inhibition of visual acuity and rivalry. The performance of 17 patients with AMD was compared with that of 17 elderly controls and 21 young people. Monocular and binocular acuities were measured using a multiple-E optotype test. Binocular ratios, defined as the better-eye acuity divided by the binocular acuity, were calculated. We also measured eye dominance during rivalry (proportion of time the participants reported perceiving the input to each eye) and rivalry rates (number of alternations per minute). The results showed that while overall binocular ratios were similar for the three groups, the frequency distributions of people who experienced inhibition, equality or summation were different for the young and AMD groups. In the rivalry test, patients experienced more piecemeal perception than the elderly and young controls, but time dominance from the better-seeing eye was comparable for the three groups. Rivalry rates decreased with age and further with pathology. Moreover, rivalry time dominance of the worse-seeing eye was negatively correlated with interocular acuity differences for the AMD group.
289.
Bertone, Armando; Mottron, Laurent; Jelenic, Patricia; Faubert, Jocelyn
Enhanced and diminished visuo-spatial information processing in autism depends on stimulus complexity Journal Article
In: Brain, vol. 128, no. 10, pp. 2430–2441, 2005, ISSN: 0006-8950.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: VPixxProgram
@article{bertone_enhanced_2005,
title = {Enhanced and diminished visuo-spatial information processing in autism depends on stimulus complexity},
author = {Armando Bertone and Laurent Mottron and Patricia Jelenic and Jocelyn Faubert},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awh561},
doi = {10.1093/brain/awh561},
issn = {0006-8950},
year = {2005},
date = {2005-10-01},
urldate = {2023-12-21},
journal = {Brain},
volume = {128},
number = {10},
pages = {2430–2441},
abstract = {Visuo-perceptual processing in autism is characterized by intact or enhanced performance on static spatial tasks and inferior performance on dynamic tasks, suggesting a deficit of dorsal visual stream processing in autism. However, previous findings by Bertone et al. indicate that neuro-integrative mechanisms used to detect complex motion, rather than motion perception per se, may be impaired in autism. We present here the first demonstration of concurrent enhanced and decreased performance in autism on the same visuo-spatial static task, wherein the only factor dichotomizing performance was the neural complexity required to discriminate grating orientation. The ability of persons with autism was found to be superior for identifying the orientation of simple, luminance-defined (or first-order) gratings but inferior for complex, texture-defined (or second-order) gratings. Using a flicker contrast sensitivity task, we demonstrated that this finding is probably not due to abnormal information processing at a sub-cortical level (magnocellular and parvocellular functioning). Together, these findings are interpreted as a clear indication of altered low-level perceptual information processing in autism, and confirm that the deficits and assets observed in autistic visual perception are contingent on the complexity of the neural network required to process a given type of visual stimulus. We suggest that atypical neural connectivity, resulting in enhanced lateral inhibition, may account for both enhanced and decreased low-level information processing in autism.},
keywords = {VPixxProgram},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Visuo-perceptual processing in autism is characterized by intact or enhanced performance on static spatial tasks and inferior performance on dynamic tasks, suggesting a deficit of dorsal visual stream processing in autism. However, previous findings by Bertone et al. indicate that neuro-integrative mechanisms used to detect complex motion, rather than motion perception per se, may be impaired in autism. We present here the first demonstration of concurrent enhanced and decreased performance in autism on the same visuo-spatial static task, wherein the only factor dichotomizing performance was the neural complexity required to discriminate grating orientation. The ability of persons with autism was found to be superior for identifying the orientation of simple, luminance-defined (or first-order) gratings but inferior for complex, texture-defined (or second-order) gratings. Using a flicker contrast sensitivity task, we demonstrated that this finding is probably not due to abnormal information processing at a sub-cortical level (magnocellular and parvocellular functioning). Together, these findings are interpreted as a clear indication of altered low-level perceptual information processing in autism, and confirm that the deficits and assets observed in autistic visual perception are contingent on the complexity of the neural network required to process a given type of visual stimulus. We suggest that atypical neural connectivity, resulting in enhanced lateral inhibition, may account for both enhanced and decreased low-level information processing in autism.
290.
Crewther, David P; Rutkowski, Jacqueline S; Crewther, Sheila G
Change detection is impaired in poor readers for both letter and object targets Journal Article
In: Journal of Vision, vol. 3, no. 9, pp. 732, 2003, ISSN: 1534-7362.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: VPixxProgram
@article{crewther_change_2003,
title = {Change detection is impaired in poor readers for both letter and object targets},
author = {David P Crewther and Jacqueline S Rutkowski and Sheila G Crewther},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1167/3.9.732},
doi = {10.1167/3.9.732},
issn = {1534-7362},
year = {2003},
date = {2003-10-01},
urldate = {2023-12-21},
journal = {Journal of Vision},
volume = {3},
number = {9},
pages = {732},
abstract = {We have raised the question of whether performance in a change detection task relates to reading ability in children. Using a Display-Gap-Display paradigm with 4 letters in circular place-holders, we showed that poor readers required longer exposure to the first Display in order to detect change as well as normal readers. In this experiment we pursued the question of whether masking provided by the target place holders, surrounding the target letters contributed to the change blindness, whether poor readers needed less masking to impair their detection of change than good readers and whether the choice of letters as targets was critical to the difference in performance between good and poor readers. Change detection performance was measured by measuring the threshold luminance contrast of circular place holders filled with dynamic random noise in an adaptive thresholding process. Stimuli were created and presented using VPixx. 16 poor readers (Neale Analysis reading age (M=7.8), chronological age (M=10.1)) were compared with 15 good readers (Neale age (M=11.6) chronological age (M=9.7)) on a letter change detection task. ANOVA showed significantly better change detection performance for the good readers (p = 0.007), in that good readers could detect change in the presence of much higher masking contrast. There was also overall a strong upper field performance advantage (p = 0.005). In a second experiment 10 of the poor readers and 14 of the good readers performed an object change detection (red or blue, horizontal or vertical rectangles). Change detection was again impaired for the poor readers (F(1, 44) = 6.0},
keywords = {VPixxProgram},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
We have raised the question of whether performance in a change detection task relates to reading ability in children. Using a Display-Gap-Display paradigm with 4 letters in circular place-holders, we showed that poor readers required longer exposure to the first Display in order to detect change as well as normal readers. In this experiment we pursued the question of whether masking provided by the target place holders, surrounding the target letters contributed to the change blindness, whether poor readers needed less masking to impair their detection of change than good readers and whether the choice of letters as targets was critical to the difference in performance between good and poor readers. Change detection performance was measured by measuring the threshold luminance contrast of circular place holders filled with dynamic random noise in an adaptive thresholding process. Stimuli were created and presented using VPixx. 16 poor readers (Neale Analysis reading age (M=7.8), chronological age (M=10.1)) were compared with 15 good readers (Neale age (M=11.6) chronological age (M=9.7)) on a letter change detection task. ANOVA showed significantly better change detection performance for the good readers (p = 0.007), in that good readers could detect change in the presence of much higher masking contrast. There was also overall a strong upper field performance advantage (p = 0.005). In a second experiment 10 of the poor readers and 14 of the good readers performed an object change detection (red or blue, horizontal or vertical rectangles). Change detection was again impaired for the poor readers (F(1, 44) = 6.0
291.
Seijdel, Noor; Schoffelen, Jan-Mathijs; Hagoort, Peter; Drijvers, Linda
Attention drives visual processing and audiovisual integration during multimodal communication Journal Article
In: 0000.
Abstract | BibTeX | Tags: PROPixx
@article{seijdel_attention_nodate,
title = {Attention drives visual processing and audiovisual integration during multimodal communication},
author = {Noor Seijdel and Jan-Mathijs Schoffelen and Peter Hagoort and Linda Drijvers},
abstract = {During communication in real-life settings, our brain often needs to integrate auditory and visual information, and at the same time actively focus on the relevant sources of information, while ignoring interference from irrelevant events. The interaction between integration and attention processes remains poorly understood. Here, we use rapid invisible frequency tagging (RIFT) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) to investigate how attention affects auditory and visual information processing and integration, during multimodal communication. We presented human participants (male and female) with videos of an actress uttering action verbs (auditory; tagged at 58 Hz) accompanied by two movie clips of hand gestures on both sides of fixation (attended stimulus tagged at 65 Hz; unattended stimulus tagged at 63 Hz). Integration difficulty was manipulated by a lower-order auditory factor (clear/degraded speech) and a higher-order visual semantic factor (matching/mismatching gesture). We observed an enhanced neural response to the attended visual information during degraded speech compared to clear speech. For the unattended information, the neural response to mismatching gestures was enhanced compared to matching gestures. Furthermore, signal power at the intermodulation frequencies of the frequency tags, indexing non-linear signal interactions, was enhanced in left frontotemporal and frontal regions. Focusing on LIFG, this enhancement was specific for the attended information, for those trials that benefitted from integration with a matching gesture. Higher power at this intermodulation frequency was related to faster reaction times. Together, our results suggest that attention modulates the strength and speed of audiovisual processing and interaction, depending on the congruence and quality of the sensory input.},
keywords = {PROPixx},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
During communication in real-life settings, our brain often needs to integrate auditory and visual information, and at the same time actively focus on the relevant sources of information, while ignoring interference from irrelevant events. The interaction between integration and attention processes remains poorly understood. Here, we use rapid invisible frequency tagging (RIFT) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) to investigate how attention affects auditory and visual information processing and integration, during multimodal communication. We presented human participants (male and female) with videos of an actress uttering action verbs (auditory; tagged at 58 Hz) accompanied by two movie clips of hand gestures on both sides of fixation (attended stimulus tagged at 65 Hz; unattended stimulus tagged at 63 Hz). Integration difficulty was manipulated by a lower-order auditory factor (clear/degraded speech) and a higher-order visual semantic factor (matching/mismatching gesture). We observed an enhanced neural response to the attended visual information during degraded speech compared to clear speech. For the unattended information, the neural response to mismatching gestures was enhanced compared to matching gestures. Furthermore, signal power at the intermodulation frequencies of the frequency tags, indexing non-linear signal interactions, was enhanced in left frontotemporal and frontal regions. Focusing on LIFG, this enhancement was specific for the attended information, for those trials that benefitted from integration with a matching gesture. Higher power at this intermodulation frequency was related to faster reaction times. Together, our results suggest that attention modulates the strength and speed of audiovisual processing and interaction, depending on the congruence and quality of the sensory input.
292.
Automatic and feature-specific prediction-related neural activity in the human auditory system textbar Nature Communications Miscellaneous
0000.
@misc{noauthor_automatic_nodate,
title = {Automatic and feature-specific prediction-related neural activity in the human auditory system textbar Nature Communications},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-11440-1},
urldate = {2024-02-06},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {misc}
}
293.
Automatic and feature-specific prediction-related neural activity in the human auditory system textbar Nature Communications Miscellaneous
0000.
@misc{noauthor_automatic_nodate-1,
title = {Automatic and feature-specific prediction-related neural activity in the human auditory system textbar Nature Communications},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-11440-1},
urldate = {2024-02-06},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {misc}
}
294.
Automatic and feature-specific prediction-related neural activity in the human auditory system textbar Nature Communications Miscellaneous
0000.
@misc{noauthor_automatic_nodate-2,
title = {Automatic and feature-specific prediction-related neural activity in the human auditory system textbar Nature Communications},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-11440-1},
urldate = {2024-02-06},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {misc}
}
295.
Nittono, Hiroshi; Ohashi, Akane
Considering Cuteness Enhances Smiling Responses to Infant Faces1,2 Journal Article
In: Japanese Psychological Research, vol. n/a, no. n/a, 0000, ISSN: 1468-5884, (_eprint: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jpr.12514).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: VIEWPixxEEG
@article{nittono_considering_nodate,
title = {Considering Cuteness Enhances Smiling Responses to Infant Faces1,2},
author = {Hiroshi Nittono and Akane Ohashi},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jpr.12514},
doi = {10.1111/jpr.12514},
issn = {1468-5884},
urldate = {2024-04-03},
journal = {Japanese Psychological Research},
volume = {n/a},
number = {n/a},
abstract = {Laboratory and field research has reported that the appearance of infants causes observers to smile. The current study examined whether this smiling response is modulated by the observer's task and evaluative dimension. Thirty-nine young nulliparous women were asked to rate the cuteness or beauty levels of 6-month-old infants' faces using a 7-point scale in different blocks. Facial electromyograms (EMGs) were recorded of participants' facial muscles related to both smiling (the zygomaticus major [ZM] and orbicularis oculi [OO]) and frowning (the corrugator supercilii [CS]). The results showed that cuteness and beauty ratings were highly correlated with each other (r = .90), indicating that these evaluations were based on similar attractiveness-related physical features. Facial EMG responses on the smiling muscle sites, ZM and OO, increased significantly from the baseline when participants rated the faces' cuteness, and the responses were larger than when participants rated the faces' beauty. CS activity was not found to have any effect. The perceived cuteness level of the infant faces did not affect the facial EMG responses. Moreover, the magnitude of the smiling response was shown to be much smaller than that associated with voluntary smiling. These findings suggest that facial expressions while viewing infant faces do not exhibit a fixed pattern but are modulated by observers' tasks and that considering cuteness, which is based on more affective evaluations than beauty, can enhance smiling responses.},
note = {_eprint: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jpr.12514},
keywords = {VIEWPixxEEG},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Laboratory and field research has reported that the appearance of infants causes observers to smile. The current study examined whether this smiling response is modulated by the observer's task and evaluative dimension. Thirty-nine young nulliparous women were asked to rate the cuteness or beauty levels of 6-month-old infants' faces using a 7-point scale in different blocks. Facial electromyograms (EMGs) were recorded of participants' facial muscles related to both smiling (the zygomaticus major [ZM] and orbicularis oculi [OO]) and frowning (the corrugator supercilii [CS]). The results showed that cuteness and beauty ratings were highly correlated with each other (r = .90), indicating that these evaluations were based on similar attractiveness-related physical features. Facial EMG responses on the smiling muscle sites, ZM and OO, increased significantly from the baseline when participants rated the faces' cuteness, and the responses were larger than when participants rated the faces' beauty. CS activity was not found to have any effect. The perceived cuteness level of the infant faces did not affect the facial EMG responses. Moreover, the magnitude of the smiling response was shown to be much smaller than that associated with voluntary smiling. These findings suggest that facial expressions while viewing infant faces do not exhibit a fixed pattern but are modulated by observers' tasks and that considering cuteness, which is based on more affective evaluations than beauty, can enhance smiling responses.
296.
Llamas-Cornejo, Ichasus; Peterzell, David H.; Serrano-Pedraza, Ignacio
Temporal mechanisms in frontoparallel stereomotion revealed by individual differences analysis Journal Article
In: European Journal of Neuroscience, vol. n/a, no. n/a, 0000, ISSN: 1460-9568, (_eprint: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/ejn.16342).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: 3DPolarizer, PROPixx, RB3D
@article{llamas-cornejo_temporal_nodate,
title = {Temporal mechanisms in frontoparallel stereomotion revealed by individual differences analysis},
author = {Ichasus Llamas-Cornejo and David H. Peterzell and Ignacio Serrano-Pedraza},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ejn.16342},
doi = {10.1111/ejn.16342},
issn = {1460-9568},
urldate = {2024-05-09},
journal = {European Journal of Neuroscience},
volume = {n/a},
number = {n/a},
abstract = {Masking experiments, using vertical and horizontal sinusoidal depth corrugations, have suggested the existence of more than two spatial-frequency disparity mechanisms. This result was confirmed through an individual differences approach. Here, using factor analytic techniques, we want to investigate the existence of independent temporal mechanisms in frontoparallel stereoscopic (cyclopean) motion. To construct stereomotion, we used sinusoidal depth corrugations obtained with dynamic random-dot stereograms. Thus, no luminance motion was present monocularly. We measured disparity thresholds for drifting vertical (up-down) and horizontal (left-right) sinusoidal corrugations of 0.4 cyc/deg at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 Hz. In total, we tested 34 participants. Results showed a small orientation anisotropy with lower thresholds for horizontal corrugations. Disparity thresholds as a function of temporal frequency were almost constant from 0.25 up to 1 Hz, and then they increased monotonically. Principal component analysis uncovered two significant factors for vertical and two for horizontal corrugations. Varimax rotation showed that one factor loaded from 0.25 to 1–2 Hz and a second factor from 2 to 4 to 8 Hz. Direct Oblimin rotation indicated a moderate intercorrelation of both factors. Our results suggest the possible existence of two somewhat interdependent temporal mechanisms involved in frontoparallel stereomotion.},
note = {_eprint: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/ejn.16342},
keywords = {3DPolarizer, PROPixx, RB3D},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Masking experiments, using vertical and horizontal sinusoidal depth corrugations, have suggested the existence of more than two spatial-frequency disparity mechanisms. This result was confirmed through an individual differences approach. Here, using factor analytic techniques, we want to investigate the existence of independent temporal mechanisms in frontoparallel stereoscopic (cyclopean) motion. To construct stereomotion, we used sinusoidal depth corrugations obtained with dynamic random-dot stereograms. Thus, no luminance motion was present monocularly. We measured disparity thresholds for drifting vertical (up-down) and horizontal (left-right) sinusoidal corrugations of 0.4 cyc/deg at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 Hz. In total, we tested 34 participants. Results showed a small orientation anisotropy with lower thresholds for horizontal corrugations. Disparity thresholds as a function of temporal frequency were almost constant from 0.25 up to 1 Hz, and then they increased monotonically. Principal component analysis uncovered two significant factors for vertical and two for horizontal corrugations. Varimax rotation showed that one factor loaded from 0.25 to 1–2 Hz and a second factor from 2 to 4 to 8 Hz. Direct Oblimin rotation indicated a moderate intercorrelation of both factors. Our results suggest the possible existence of two somewhat interdependent temporal mechanisms involved in frontoparallel stereomotion.