NEURAL VISUAL CODING: IMAGE TO OBJECT REPRESENTATION

描述（由申请人提供）：资金要求继续我们的视觉皮层的图像解析机制的研究。V2中的对比度边界响应对于图形-背景方向是选择性的（边界所有权编码）。这项研究的目的是了解这种神经边界所有权表示在视觉过程中的作用。为今后五年确定了三大目标： 一是分析了边界所有权转让的机制。有证据表明，边界所有权信号反映的图像上下文远远超出了传统的感受野的范围，但出现的潜伏期短，不需要注意。其目的是研究整体形状的影响（1）通过使用显示器，其中一些关键特征（曲率，角落，X和T型交界处）被遮挡，并分析边界所有权信号作为暴露的功能，（2）通过添加视觉噪声到低对比度的数字和相关的噪声模式与边界所有权信号。 第二个目的是研究边界所有权信号的动态，其上升时间和持久性，是否存在边界所有权的记忆或信号是否被动衰减，以及当图形移动时边界所有权分配是否被保留。注视任务将用于目标1-2。 第三个目的是研究图像解析阶段作为视觉认知中自上而下过程的界面的作用。为了研究边界所有权信号与选择性注意的相互作用，将训练猴子对部分重叠的图形进行形状辨别，以便正确执行任务需要边界所有权分配。为了确定中央处理是否可以影响视觉皮层中的图形背景表征，将在猴子执行视觉搜索任务时研究边界所有权信号。这些研究将侧重于V2区，但也将探讨V1区和V4区。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Funds are requested to continue our studies of image parsing mechanisms in the visual cortex. Contrast border responses in V2 are selective for figure-ground direction (border ownership coding). The aim of the proposed research is to understand the role of this neural border ownership representation in the visual process. Three broad aims are identified for the next five years: The first is to analyze the mechanisms in border ownership assignment. Evidence shows that border ownership signals reflect the image context far beyond the scope of the conventional receptive field, but emerge with short latency and do not require attention. The aim is to study the global form influence (1) by using displays in which some critical features (curvature, corners, X- and T-junctions) are variably occluded, and analyzing the border ownership signal as a function of the exposed features, and (2) by adding visual noise to a low-contrast figure and correlating the noise pattern with the border ownership signal. The second aim is to study the dynamics of the border ownership signal, its rise time and persistence, whether there is memory for border ownership or if the signal decays passively, and whether border ownership assignment is preserved when a figure is moved. The fixation task will be used for aims 1-2. The third aim is to study the role of the image parsing stage as an interface for top-down processes in visual cognition. To study the interaction of border ownership signals with selective attention, monkeys will be trained to perform shape discrimination with partially overlapping figures, so that correct performance of the task requires border ownership assignment. To determine if central processes can influence the figure ground representation in the visual cortex, border ownership signals will be studied while the monkey is performing a visual search task. The studies will focus on area V2, but areas V1 and V4 will also be explored.