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(05) Nov 24, 2014, Processing of visual motion (st)

Which topics were covered in the lecture:

  • motion as a fundamental perceptual dimension
  • motion as orientation in space-time
  • the anatomical localization of motion processing
  • the functional anatomy of area MT
  • the relationship between a stimulus, the neuronal response to it and the stimulus’ perception

Which topics were covered in the seminar:

  • comparing psychometric and neurometric functions in a motion task
  • the relationship between the activity of single neurons in area MT and the perception of a moving stimulus
  • the effect of electrical microstimulation in area MT on perception

You should be able to answer the following questions after the lecture

  • draw a space-time plot of a leftward motion
  • draw a polar plot of the tuning curve of a direction-selective cell, tuned to leftward motion
  • describe the topographic organization of area MT
  • what is meant by a neurometric curve and a psychometric curve (see Newsome et al (1989))?
  • why is it interesting to compare these two curves?
  • describe the consequences of micro stimulating area MT, as determined by Salzman et al (1990)
  • what hypothesis is tested by this microstimulation experiment?

You should know the following terms and concepts after the lecture

  • space-time plots for visual motion
  • tuning curve
  • Reichardt detector

You should know the following terms and concepts after the seminar

  • psychometric and neurometric curves
  • relationship between the effects of microstimulation and cortical topography

Last update of this page: Dec 4, 2014