The limited contribution of early visual cortex in visual working memory for surface roughness
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
The limited contribution of early visual cortex in visual working memory for surface roughness Munendo Fujimichi1,2 · Hiroki Yamamoto1 · Jun Saiki1 Received: 3 April 2020 / Accepted: 10 July 2020 © Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Are visual representations in the human early visual cortex necessary for visual working memory (VWM)? Previous studies suggest that VWM is underpinned by distributed representations across several brain regions, including the early visual cortex. Notably, in these studies, participants had to memorize images under consistent visual conditions. However, in our daily lives, we must retain the essential visual properties of objects despite changes in illumination or viewpoint. The role of brain regions—particularly the early visual cortices—in these situations remains unclear. The present study investigated whether the early visual cortex was essential for achieving stable VWM. Focusing on VWM for object surface properties, we conducted fMRI experiments, while male and female participants performed a delayed roughness discrimination task in which sample and probe spheres were presented under varying illumination. By applying multi-voxel pattern analysis to brain activity in regions of interest, we found that the ventral visual cortex and intraparietal sulcus were involved in roughness VWM under changing illumination conditions. In contrast, VWM was not supported as robustly by the early visual cortex. These findings show that visual representations in the early visual cortex alone are insufficient for the robust roughness VWM representation required during changes in illumination. Keywords Roughness · Visual working memory · fMRI · Early visual cortex
Introduction Visual working memory (VWM) plays an important role in cognition. Functional brain imaging studies employing univariate analysis have revealed that brain activation in the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) reflected maintenance of spatial information in visual short-term memory (VSTM; Harrison et al. 2010; Todd and Marois 2004, 2005; Ungerleider et al. 1998; Xu and Chun 2006). Studies using multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) have shown that multiple brain regions contribute to VWM. In particular, the early visual cortex may play a role in orientation (Harrison and Tong 2009), contrast (Xing et al. 2013), and color pattern elements Communicated by Melvyn A. Goodale. * Munendo Fujimichi [email protected]‑u.ac.jp 1
Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Yoshida‑Nihonmatsucho, Sakyo‑ku, Kyoto 606‑8501, Japan
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
2
(Christophel et al. 2012) of VWM. In these studies, participants were asked to memorize an image under set visual conditions; however, our daily lives necessitate retention of the essential properties of objects against changes despite changes in visual conditions, such as illumination and viewpoint. The role of specific brain regions, especially the early visual cortices, un
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