Dynamics of neuronal responses in macaque MT and VIP during motion detection
Abstract
We examined how the relationship between neuronal activity and behavior evolved over time during a motion-detection task. Recording from two regions of visual cortex that process motion, the middle temporal (MT) and ventral intraparietal (VIP) areas, we used the time it took subjects to detect a motion stimulus to evaluate the dynamics of the underlying neuronal signals. Single-neuron activity was correlated with stimulus detection and reaction time (RT) in both areas. The rising edge of the population response from both areas was highly predictive of RT using a simple threshold-detection model. The time course of the population responses, however, differed between MT and VIP. For MT, the onset of the neuronal response was relatively constant, whereas for VIP the onset of the neuronal responses increased with RT. In contrast to previous studies, we found that single neurons were not reliable detectors of the motion signal when constrained by realistic detection times.
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Variation in the buildup rate affects the amount of time it takes to reach a decision.
“variation in the buildup rate also affects the amount of time it takes to reach a decision (19–21, 37, 38)”
From Representation of Confidence Associated with a Decision by Neurons in the Parietal Cortex (2009) · cites this paper as [37]
Near the saccade, the neural correlate of motion strength vanished.
“Near the saccade, however, this neural correlate of motion strength 1,2,15 vanished (Fig. 2a,c, right).”
From Decision-making with multiple alternatives (2008) · cites this paper as [15]
MT neural responses were larger in hits and misses.
“MT neural responses were larger in hits (with successful detection) and misses (failure), implying that the strength of signals provided by MT neurons to higher areas was stronger in trials with ultimately successful detection than in failed trials.”
From Decision Making in Recurrent Neuronal Circuits (2008) · cites this paper as Cook and Maunsell, 2002
In a visual motion detection task, ventral intraparietal (VIP) neurons exhibited ramping activity correlated with subjective judgment and response time.
“Another physiological study reported that, while monkeys performed a task of detecting the presence of a visual motion stimulus, neurons in ventral intraparietal (VIP) area of the posterior parietal cortex exhibited ramping activity that was correlated with the subjective judgment (a higher activity in hit and false-alarm trials than in miss and correct rejection trials) and response time (ranging”
From Decision Making in Recurrent Neuronal Circuits (2008) · cites this paper as Cook and Maunsell, 2002
In VIP but not MT, neuronal activity was significantly larger than baseline in false-alarm trials.
“In VIP but not MT, neuronal activity was significantly larger than baseline in false-alarm trials, suggesting that the subjective judgment was computed downstream of MT.”
From Decision Making in Recurrent Neuronal Circuits (2008) · cites this paper as Cook and Maunsell, 2002
The strength of signals provided by MT neurons to higher areas was stronger in trials with ultimately successful detection than in failed trials.
“MT neural responses were larger in hits (with successful detection) and misses (failure), implying that the strength of signals provided by MT neurons to higher areas was stronger in trials with ultimately successful detection than in failed trials.”
From Decision Making in Recurrent Neuronal Circuits (2008) · cites this paper as Cook and Maunsell, 2002
The subjective judgment was computed downstream of MT.
“In VIP but not MT, neuronal activity was significantly larger than baseline in false-alarm trials, suggesting that the subjective judgment was computed downstream of MT.”
From Decision Making in Recurrent Neuronal Circuits (2008) · cites this paper as Cook and Maunsell, 2002
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- Authors
- Cook, E. P., & Maunsell, J. H. R.
- Affiliations
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
- Corresponding author
- Cook, Erik P.
- Venue
- Nature Neuroscience
- Published
- 2002-09-16
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 985-994
- ISSN
- 1097-6256 (ISSN-L)
- 1546-1726
- OpenAlex
- W2021088024
- Cited by
- 289
- References
- 43
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 16
- FWCI
- 5.62
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Nature Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Eye Institute (R01EY005911)
- 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 › Neural dynamics and brain function
- Keywords
- motion detection, middle temporal area, ventral intraparietal area, visual cortex, reaction time, single-unit activity, population response, macaque
- MeSH terms
- Action Potentials, Animals, Macaca mulatta, Motion Perception, Neurons, Reaction Time, Visual Cortex
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