Long-lasting modulation of feature integrationby transcranial magnetic stimulation
Open accessAbstract
The human brain analyzes a visual object first by basic feature detectors. On the objects way to a conscious percept, these features are integrated in subsequent stages of the visual hierarchy. The time course of this feature integration is largely unknown. To shed light on the temporal dynamics of feature integration, we applied transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to a feature fusion paradigm. In feature fusion, two stimuli which differ in one feature are presented in rapid succession such that they are not perceived individually but as one single stimulus only. The fused percept is an integration of the features of both stimuli. Here, we show that TMS can modulate this integration for a surprisingly long period of time, even though the individual stimuli themselves are not consciously perceived. Hence, our results reveal a long-lasting integration process of unconscious feature traces.
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The unconscious integration period can last for 420 ms as experiments using TMS and feature fusion have shown.
“This unconscious integration period can last for 420 ms as experiments using TMS and feature fusion have shown (Scharnowski et al., 2009; Rüter et al., 2010; see also Pilz et al., 2013).”
From Hard criteria for empirical theories of consciousness (2021) · cites this paper as Scharnowski et al., 2009
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“This unconscious integration period can last for 420 ms as experiments using TMS and feature fusion have shown (Scharnowski et al., 2009; Rüter et al., 2010; see also Pilz et al., 2013).”
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Long-lasting visual integration of form, motion, and color as revealed by visual masking
Pilz, K. S., Zimmermann, C., Scholz, J., & Herzog, M. H. (2013) · Journal of Vision · doi:10.1167/13.10.12 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Self-citationWinter, C. J., & Peters, M. A. K. (2022) · Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics · doi:10.3758/s13414-021-02358-2 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
- Authors
- Scharnowski, F., Ruter, J., Jolij, J., Hermens, F., Kammer, T., & Herzog, M. H.
- Affiliations
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging (GB)
- University of Groningen (NL)
- Royal Holloway University of London (GB)
- Universität Ulm (DE)
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH)
- Venue
- Journal of Vision
- Published
- 2009-06-01
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1-1
- ISSN
- 1534-7362 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2122388268
- Cited by
- 305
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 23 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 42 · 2012: 30
- FWCI
- 14.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Vision (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (acceptedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion)
- Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion)
- University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion)
- Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Multisensory perception and integration
- Keywords
- feature integration, feature fusion, transcranial magnetic stimulation, unconscious perception, temporal dynamics, visual object recognition, feature detectors, visual hierarchy
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Consciousness, Discrimination, Psychological, Female, Humans, Male, Occipital Lobe, Photic Stimulation, Reaction Time, Sensory Thresholds, Visual Perception, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Young Adult
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