Spatiotopic selectivity of BOLD responses to visual motion in human area MT

Nat Neurosci. 2007 Feb;10(2):249-55. doi: 10.1038/nn1824. Epub 2006 Dec 31.

Abstract

Many neurons in the monkey visual extrastriate cortex have receptive fields that are affected by gaze direction. In humans, psychophysical studies suggest that motion signals may be encoded in a spatiotopic fashion. Here we use functional magnetic resonance imaging to study spatial selectivity in the human middle temporal cortex (area MT or V5), an area that is clearly implicated in motion perception. The results show that the response of MT is modulated by gaze direction, generating a spatial selectivity based on screen rather than retinal coordinates. This area could be the neurophysiological substrate of the spatiotopic representation of motion signals.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Eye Movements / physiology
  • Fixation, Ocular / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Motion Perception / physiology*
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Orientation / physiology*
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Space Perception / physiology
  • Temporal Lobe / anatomy & histology
  • Temporal Lobe / physiology*
  • Visual Cortex / anatomy & histology
  • Visual Cortex / physiology*
  • Visual Fields / physiology