Learning to see: experience and attention in primary visual cortex
Abstract
The response properties of neurons in primary sensory cortices remain malleable throughout life. The existence of such plasticity, and the characteristics of a form of implicit learning known as perceptual learning, suggest that changes in primary sensory cortex may mediate learning. We explored whether modification of the functional properties of primary visual cortex (V1) accompanies perceptual learning. Basic receptive field properties, such as location, size and orientation selectivity, were unaffected by perceptual training, and visual topography (as measured by magnification factor) was indistinguishable between trained and untrained animals. On the other hand, the influence of contextual stimuli placed outside the receptive field showed a change consistent with the trained discrimination. Furthermore, this property showed task dependence, only being manifest when the animal was performing the trained discrimination.
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Monkeys trained on visual tasks show only moderate or no change in early visual cortex.
“However, monkeys trained on visual tasks show only moderate or no change in early visual cortex7–11.”
From Neural correlates of perceptual learning in a sensory-motor, but not a sensory, cortical area (2008) · cites this paper as [8]
Electrophysiological studies in monkeys found little or no changes in V1 with perceptual learning.
“electrophysiological studies in monkeys that found little or no changes in V1 with perceptual learning7–9”
From Neural correlates of perceptual learning in a sensory-motor, but not a sensory, cortical area (2008) · cites this paper as [8]
Of the learning-induced changes previously found in V1, attentional modulation appears to play a primary role.
“Of the learning-induced changes that have been found previously in V1, attentional modulation appears to play a primary role8.”
From Neural correlates of perceptual learning in a sensory-motor, but not a sensory, cortical area (2008) · cites this paper as [8]
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- Authors
- Crist, R. E., Li, W., & Gilbert, C. D.
- Affiliations
- Rockefeller University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Gilbert, Charles D.
- Venue
- Nature Neuroscience
- Published
- 2001-05
- Volume
- 4
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 519-525
- ISSN
- 1097-6256 (ISSN-L)
- 1546-1726
- OpenAlex
- W1495994922
- Cited by
- 364
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 19 · 2012: 17
- FWCI
- 9.97
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Nature Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Eye Institute (R01EY007968, EY07968)
- National Institute of General Medical Sciences (T32GM007524, GM07524)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Multisensory perception and integration
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Face Recognition and Perception
- Keywords
- perceptual learning, primary visual cortex, cortical plasticity, receptive field properties, orientation selectivity, contextual modulation, visual discrimination, attention
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Attention, Discrimination, Psychological, Discrimination Learning, Electrodes, Implanted, Electrophysiology, Learning, Macaca mulatta, Neuronal Plasticity, Orientation, Vision, Ocular, Visual Cortex, Visual Fields
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