Visual temporal frequency preference shows a distinct cortical architecture using fMRI
Open accessAbstract
Studies of visual temporal frequency preference typically examine frequencies under 20 Hz and measure local activity to evaluate the sensitivity of different cortical areas to variations in temporal frequencies. Most of these studies have not attempted to map preferred temporal frequency within and across visual areas, nor have they explored in detail, stimuli at gamma frequency, which recent research suggests may have potential clinical utility. In this study, we address this gap by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure response to flickering visual stimuli varying in frequency from 1 to 40 Hz. We apply stimulation in both a block design to examine task response and a steady-state design to examine functional connectivity. We observed distinct activation patterns between 1 Hz and 40 Hz stimuli. We also found that the correlation between medial thalamus and visual cortex was modulated by the temporal frequency. The modulation functions and tuned frequencies are different for the visual activity and thalamo-visual correlations. Using both fMRI activity and connectivity measurements, we show evidence for a temporal frequency specific organization across the human visual system.
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Peak activations in V1 and secondary visual areas are stimulation dependent and occur at distinct temporal frequencies (4 or 8 Hz in V1, and 20 or 40 Hz in secondary visual areas for chromatic or luminance flickering, respectively).
“Previous literature reported that the peak activations in V1 and secondary visual areas are stimulation dependent and occur at distinct temporal frequencies (4 or 8 Hz in V1, and 20 or 40 Hz in secondary visual areas for chromatic or luminance flickering, respectively) (Chai et al., 2019; Fox et al., 1986; Kastner et al., 2004; Kwong et al., 1992; Singh et al., 2000).”
From Perception is associated with the brain’s metabolic response to sensory stimulation (2022) · cites this paper as Chai et al., 2019
The Results (pages unavailable) report a V1 ROI-mean peak near 8 Hz and many V1 voxels preferring 4 Hz; they also show stronger lateral-occipital responses at higher flicker frequencies. But the paper used black-to-white flicker, not separate chromatic and luminance flicker, and it does not establish the claimed 20- or 40-Hz peaks for secondary visual areas under those respective conditions. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredHeterogeneity in the response to stimulation within V1 might be due to eccentricity, which we minimized by using a 3° foveal stimulation.
“heterogeneity in the response to stimulation within V1 might be due to, for example, eccentricity (Chai et al., 2019), which we however minimized by using a 3° foveal stimulation.”
From Perception is associated with the brain’s metabolic response to sensory stimulation (2022) · cites this paper as Chai et al., 2019
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- Authors
- Chai, Y., Handwerker, D. A., Marrett, S., Gonzalez-Castillo, J., Merriam, E. P., Hall, A., Molfese, P. J., & Bandettini, P. A.
- Affiliations
- National Institutes of Health (US)
- Corresponding author
- Chai, Yuhui
- ORCID
- Venue
- NeuroImage
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2019-08
- Volume
- 197
- Pages
- 13-23
- ISSN
- 1053-8119 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC6591056
- OpenAlex
- W2938794028
- Cited by
- 22
- References
- 54
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 1 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 0.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- NeuroImage (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (ZIAMH002783)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
- Keywords
- gamma oscillations, flicker frequency, visual cortex, medial thalamus, cortical organization, block designs, temporal frequency tuning
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Brain Mapping, Female, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Photic Stimulation, Thalamus, Time Factors, Visual Cortex, Visual Pathways, Visual Perception, Young Adult
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