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Cited by 594Visual perception and processing mechanismsMotor Control and AdaptationMultisensory perception and integration

Responses of neurons in macaque MT to stochastic motion signals

Britten, Kenneth H., Shadlen, Michael N., Newsome, William T., Movshon, J. Anthony·1993·Visual Neuroscience
DOI 10.1017/s0952523800010269
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Abstract

Dynamic random-dot stimuli have been widely used to explore central mechanisms of motion processing. We have measured the responses of neurons in area MT of the alert monkey while we varied the strength and direction of the motion signal in such displays. The strength of motion is controlled by the proportion of spatiotemporally correlated dots, which we term the correlation of the stimulus. For many MT cells, responses varied approximately linearly with stimulus correlation. When they occurred, nonlinearities were equally likely to be either positively or negatively accelerated. We also explored the relationship between response magnitude and response variance for these cells and found, in general agreement with other investigators, that this relationship conforms to a power law with an exponent slightly greater than 1. The variance of the cells' discharge is little influenced by the trial-to-trial fluctuations inherent in our stochastic display, and is therefore likely to be of neural origin. Linear responses to these stochastic motion stimuli are predicted by simple, low-level motion models incorporating sensors having relatively broad spatial and temporal frequency tuning.

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Crossref · 10.1017/s0952523800010269

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44 of 44 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • During motion viewing, MT/MST neurons emit a constant level of spike discharge (after an initial transient) at a rate that depends on the strength and direction of motion.

    “During motion viewing, they emit a constant level of spike discharge (after an initial transient) at a rate that depends on the strength and direction of motion”

    From Response of Neurons in the Lateral Intraparietal Area during a Combined Visual Discrimination Reaction Time Task (2002) · cites this paper as Britten et al., 1993

  • Responses of MT neurons are determined largely by the direction and strength of motion.

    “the responses of which are determined largely by the direction and strength of motion”

    From Response of Neurons in the Lateral Intraparietal Area during a Combined Visual Discrimination Reaction Time Task (2002) · cites this paper as Britten et al., 1993

  • Based on recordings from MT of other monkeys, a change in motion strength of 10% coherence results in a change in firing rate of 5 sp/s for the average MT neuron.

    “Based on recordings from MT of other monkeys, a change in motion strength of 10% coherence results in a change in firing rate of 5 sp/s for the average MT neuron15.”

    From Microstimulation of macaque area LIP affects decision-making in a motion discrimination task (2006) · cites this paper as [15]

  • The expected difference in firing rates between direction selective neurons in area MT is zero when C=0 and is known to vary linearly, on average, as a function of motion strength.

    “This relationship is reasonable because the expected difference in firing rates between direction selective neurons in area MT is zero when C=0 and is known to vary linearly, on average, as a function of motion strength15.”

    From Microstimulation of macaque area LIP affects decision-making in a motion discrimination task (2006) · cites this paper as [15]

  • Trial-to-trial stimulus variation had no discernible effect on the trial-to-trial variance of firing activity in MT neurons.

    “Interestingly, it was found that the trial-to-trial stimulus variation had no discernible effect on the trial-to-trial variance of firing activity in MT neurons (Britten et al., 1993), nor on the relationship between MT neural responses and behavioral choice (Britten et al., 1996).”

    From Decision Making in Recurrent Neuronal Circuits (2008) · cites this paper as Britten et al., 1993

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Authors
Britten, K. H., Shadlen, M. N., Newsome, W. T., & Movshon, J. A.
Affiliations
  • Stanford Medicine (US)
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
ORCID
Venue
Visual Neuroscience
Publisher
Maximum Academic Press
Published
1993-11
Volume
10
Issue
6
Pages
1157-1169
ISSN
  • 0952-5238 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-8714
DOI
10.1017/s0952523800010269
OpenAlex
W2150739631
Cited by
594
References
44
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 29 · 2013: 30 · 2012: 29
FWCI
4.01
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified, 5692 d)
Locations
  • Visual Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Eye Institute (EY-2017, EY 5603, R01EY002017)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NS 07158-11, T32NS007158)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Motor Control and Adaptation
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Multisensory perception and integration
Keywords
area MT, motion processing, random dot motion, trial-to-trial variability, spatio-temporal correlation, macaque visual cortex, direction selectivity
MeSH terms
Animals, Female, Light, Macaca mulatta, Male, Microelectrodes, Motion Perception, Neurons, Sensory Thresholds, Visual Cortex

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