Time course of perceptual discrimination and single neuron reliability (original) (raw)
- 91 Accesses
- 35 Citations
- Explore all metrics
Abstract
The reliability of identification of a visual target increases with time available for inspection of the stimulus. We suggest that the neural basis of this improvement is the existence of a mechanism for integrating a noisy firing rate over some period, leading to a reduction in mean firing rate variance with available processing time. We have determined the experimental time course of the improvement in reliability in a parallel search task where the available inspection time is limited by the presentation of a mask at various times after a brief stimulus. We compare the resulting psychometric functions with the predictions of a model based on Signal Detection Theory. The model is based on the assumption that the reliability of the observer's response is limited by the variability of the responses of individual neurons. The reliability of the discrimination between two stimuli at the neuronal level is then directly related to the ratio of the difference between their integrated mean responses (over many trials) to the response standard deviation. This reliability increases with inspection time. To demonstrate application of the model to electrophysiological data, “neurometric functions” are derived from the firing rates of a monkey_V_1 cortical neuron. The data were obtained while the animal was active in a discrimination task. The results correspond qualitatively to our observed human psychometric functions.
Access this article
Subscribe and save
- Get 10 units per month
- Download Article/Chapter or eBook
- 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
- Cancel anytime Subscribe now
Buy Now
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.
Instant access to the full article PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
- Allman J, Meizin F, McGuiness E (1985) Stimulus specific responses from beyond the classical receptive field: neurophysiological mechanism for local-global comparisons in visual neurons. Ann Rev Neurosci 8:407–430
Google Scholar - Barlow HB (1972) Single units and sensation: a neuron doctrine for perceptual psychology? Perception 1:371–394
Google Scholar - Barlow HB, Kaushal TP, Hawken M, Parker AJ (1987) Human contrast discrimination and the threshold of cortical neurons. J Opt Soc Am A 4:2366–2371
Google Scholar - Bergen JR, Julesz B (1983a) Rapid discrimination of visual patterns. IEEE Trans SMC-13, No 5
- Bergen JR, Julesz B (1983b) Parallel versus serial processing in rapid pattern discrimination. Nature (London) 303:696–698
Google Scholar - Bradley A, Skottun BC, Ohzawa I, Sclar G, Freeman R (1987) Visual orientation and spatial frequency discrimination: a comparison of single neurons and behavior. J Neurophysiol 57:755–772
Google Scholar - Dean AF (1981) The variability of discharge of simple cells in the cat striate cortex. Exp Brain Res 44:437–440
Google Scholar - De-Yoe E, Knierim J, Sagi D, Julesz B, Van Essen D (1986) Single unit responses to static and dynamic texture patterns in macaque_V_2 and_V_1 cortex. ARVO (abstr)
- Desimone R, Schein SJ, Moran J, Ungerleider L (1985) Contour, color, and shape analysis beyond the striate cortex. Vision Res 25:441–452
Google Scholar - Dick M, Hochstein S (1988) Interactions in the discrimination and absolute judgment of orientation and length. Perception 17:177–189
Google Scholar - Green DM, Swets JA (1974) Signal detection theory and psychophysics. Krieger, New York
Google Scholar - Hochstein S, Maunsell J (1985) Dimensional attention effects in the responses of_V_4 neurons of the macaque monkey. Soc Neurosci (abstr) 11:1244
Google Scholar - Julesz B (1981) Textons, the elements of texture perception and their interactions. Nature (London) 290:91–97
Google Scholar - Newsome WT, Britten KH, Movshon JA (1989) Neural correlates of a perceptual decision. Nature 341:52–54
Google Scholar - Sagi D, Julesz B (1985) Where and what in vision. Science 228:1217–1219
Google Scholar - Sagi D, Julesz B (1986) Short range limitation on detection of feature differences. Spat Vision 2:39–49
Google Scholar - Shannon GE, Weaver W (1949) The mathematical theory of communication. University of Illinois Press, Champaign, Ill
Google Scholar - Skottun BC, Bradley A, Sclar G, Ohzawa I, Freeman R (1987) The effects of contrast on visual orientation and spatial frequency discrimination: a comparison of single cells and behavior. J Neurophysiol 57:773–785
Google Scholar - Spitzer H, Desimone R, Moran J (1988) Increased attention enhances behavioral and neuronal performance. Science 240:338–340
Google Scholar - Tolhurst DJ, Movshon JA, Dean AF (1983) The statistical reliability of signals in single neurons in cat and monkey visual cortex. Vision Res 23:775–785
Google Scholar - Tolhurst DJ (1989) The amount of information transmitted about contrast by neurons in the cat's visual cortex. Vis Neurosci 2:409–413
Google Scholar - Treisman A (1985) Preattentive processing in vision. Comput Vision Graph Image Process 31:156–177
Google Scholar - Treisman A, Gelade G (1980) A feature integration theory of attention. Cogn Psychol 12:97–136
Google Scholar
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
- Neurobiology Department, Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
E. Zohary, P. Hillman & S. Hochstein
Authors
- E. Zohary
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar - P. Hillman
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar - S. Hochstein
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zohary, E., Hillman, P. & Hochstein, S. Time course of perceptual discrimination and single neuron reliability.Biol. Cybern. 62, 475–486 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00205109
- Received: 17 September 1989
- Accepted: 05 December 1989
- Issue Date: April 1990
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00205109