Cortical Mechanisms for Visual Perception

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When we open our eyes, we seem to effortlessly perceive the external world and have the impression that our representations of the external world are highly accurate. Yet the reality is that our perceptions of an identical event can vary from one moment to the next and this variation is at least in part due to the timing of stimulus arrival relative to the on-going brain waves, i.e., the oscillation in the electrical activity of the brain. With support from the National Science Foundation, Dr. Ro and colleagues of the City University of New York (CUNY) will conduct a systematic series of experiments to assess the timing of visual information processing between different regions of the brain and the joint influence of feedforward and feedback information on visual perception. Using converging methodological approaches that include structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG), fast signal optical imaging, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and psychophysical methods, this project introduces an innovative approach to the understanding of variations in visual processing.This research will advance our knowledge of visual perception, which in turn will provide a solid foundation for developing better visual substitution or rehabilitation techniques for the nearly 300 million individuals worldwide with congenital or acquired visual processing deficits. This research will also provide cutting-edge training opportunities in neuroscience for postdoctoral fellows and undergraduate and graduate students, including women and underrepresented minorities. Finally, these studies will yield a large amount of TMS, MRI, EEG, and optical imaging data that will be available for sharing with other researchers.