Posterior parietal cortex evaluates visuoproprioceptive congruence based on brief visual information

This paper explores the hypothesis that various subregions (but by no means all) of the posterior parietal cortex are specialized to process visual information to extract a variety of affordances for behaviour. Two biologically based models of regions of the posterior parietal cortex of the monkey are introduced. The model of the lateral intraparietal area (LIP) emphasizes its roles in dynamic remapping of the representation of targets during a double saccade task, and in combining stored, updated input with current visual input. The model of the anterior intraparietal area (AIP) addresses parietal–premotor interactions involved in grasping, and analyses the interaction between the AIP and premotor area F5. The model represents the role of other intraparietal areas working in concert with the inferotemporal cortex as well as with corollary discharge from F5 to provide and augment the affordance information in the AIP, and suggests how various constraints may resolve the action opportunities provided by multiple affordances. Finally, a systems–level model of hippocampo–parietal interactions underlying rat navigation is developed, motivated by the monkey data used in developing the above two models as well as by data on neurons in the posterior parietal cortex of the monkey that are sensitive to visual motion. The formal similarity between dynamic remapping (primate saccades) and path integration (rat navigation) is noted, and certain available data on rat posterior parietal cortex in terms of affordances for locomotion are explained. The utility of further modelling, linking the World Graph model of cognitive maps for motivated behaviour with hippocampal–parietal interactions involved in navigation, is also suggested. These models demonstrate that posterior parietal cortex is not only itself a network of interacting subsystems, but functions through cooperative computation with many other brain regions.

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Dissociating the contributions of human frontal eye fields and posterior parietal cortex to visual search

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.01149.2009 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 105 (6) ◽

pp. 2891-2896 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Neil G. Muggleton ◽

Roger Kalla ◽

Chi-Hung Juan ◽

V. Walsh

Keyword(s):

Visual Search ◽

Parietal Cortex ◽

Visual Information ◽

Posterior Parietal Cortex ◽

Frontal Eye Fields ◽

Search Performance ◽

Manual Response ◽

Visual Processes ◽

Posterior Parietal ◽

Extrastriate Areas

Imaging, lesion, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) studies have implicated a number of regions of the brain in searching for a target defined by a combination of attributes. The necessity of both frontal eye fields (FEF) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC) in task performance has been shown by the application of TMS over these regions. The effects of stimulation over these two areas have, thus far, proved to be remarkably similar and the only dissociation reported being in the timing of their involvement. We tested the hypotheses that 1) FEF contributes to performance in terms of visual target detection (possibly by modulation of activity in extrastriate areas with respect to the target), and 2) PPC is involved in translation of visual information for action. We used a task where the presence (and location) of the target was indicated by an eye movement. Task disruption was seen with FEF TMS (with reduced accuracy on the task) but not with PPC stimulation. When a search task requiring a manual response was presented, disruption with PPC TMS was seen. These results show dissociation of FEF and PPC contributions to visual search performance and that PPC involvement seems to be dependent on the response required by the task, whereas this is not the case for FEF. This supports the idea of FEF involvement in visual processes in a manner that might not depend on the required response, whereas PPC seems to be involved when a manual motor response to a stimulus is required.

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Contribution of cells in the posterior parietal cortex to the planning of visually guided locomotion in the cat: effects of temporary visual interruption

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.00992.2010 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 105 (5) ◽

pp. 2457-2470 ◽

Cited By ~ 37

Author(s):

Daniel S. Marigold ◽

Trevor Drew

Keyword(s):

Parietal Cortex ◽

Visual Information ◽

Posterior Parietal Cortex ◽

Discharge Frequency ◽

Cycle Duration ◽

Visually Guided ◽

Visuomotor Transformations ◽

Visual Occlusion ◽

Discharge Activity ◽

Posterior Parietal

In the present study, we determined whether cells in the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) may contribute to the planning of voluntary gait modifications in the absence of visual input. In two cats we recorded the responses of 41 neurons in layer V of the PPC that discharged in advance of the gait modification to a 900-ms interruption of visual information (visual occlusion). The cats continued to walk without interruption during the occlusion, which produced only minimal changes in step cycle duration and paw placement. Visual occlusion applied during the period of cell discharge was without significant effect on discharge frequency in 57% of cells. In the other cells, the visual occlusion produced either significant decreases (18%) or increases (21%) of discharge activity (in 1 cell there was both an increase and a decrease). The mean latency of the changes was 356 ms for decreases and 252 ms for increases. In most neurons, discharge frequency, when modified, returned to the same levels as during unoccluded locomotion when vision was restored. In some cells, there were significant changes in discharge activity after the restoration of vision; these were associated with corrections of gait. These results suggest that the PPC is more involved in the visuomotor transformations necessary to plan gait modifications than in continual sensory processing of visual information. We further propose that cells in the PPC contribute both to the planning of gait modifications on the basis of only intermittent visual sampling and to visually guided online corrections of gait.

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The hand and the object: the role of posterior parietal cortex in forming motor representations

Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology ◽

10.1139/y94-077 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 72 (5) ◽

pp. 535-541 ◽

Cited By ~ 64

Author(s):

M. Jeannerod

Keyword(s):

Parietal Cortex ◽

Visual Information ◽

Posterior Parietal Cortex ◽

Object Oriented ◽

Hand Movements ◽

Visuomotor Coordination ◽

Posterior Parietal ◽

Motor Representations ◽

Parietal Lesion

The hypothesis of several subsystems for processing visual information is expanded to the context of visuomotor functions. It is proposed that object-oriented actions involve three main types of processing whether the object is to be localized, identified, or grasped and manipulated. Neurological evidence from patients is provided, showing that each type of processing pertains to a distinct pathway. Whereas identification is impaired by lesions affecting the occipitotemporal pathway, localization and grasping are processed in posterior patrietal cortex. A new clinical case with a parietal lesion is presented, where the grasping deficit contrasted with preservation of both identification and localization. This result suggests separate representations for localizing and grasping within parietal cortex.Key words: visuomotor coordination, hand movements, parietal cortex, neuropsychology.

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Posterior parietal cortex mediates encoding processes in change blindness

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e520562012-977 ◽

2009 ◽

Author(s):

Philip Tseng ◽

Cassidy Sterling ◽

Adam Cooper ◽

Bruce Bridgeman ◽

Neil G. Muggleton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parietal Cortex ◽

Posterior Parietal Cortex ◽

Change Blindness ◽

Posterior Parietal

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The Grasp Cell Hypothesis: Near-miss effect points to common neurological machinery in posterior parietal cortex for controllable objects and concepts

10.31234/osf.io/4awrz ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Imogen M Kruse

Keyword(s):

Parietal Cortex ◽

Posterior Parietal Cortex ◽

Near Miss ◽

Illusion Of Control ◽

Gambling Behaviour ◽

Drug Seeking ◽

Spatial Influence ◽

Reward Probability ◽

Posterior Parietal ◽

Action Value

The near-miss effect in gambling behaviour occurs when an outcome which is close to a win outcome invigorates gambling behaviour notwithstanding lack of associated reward. In this paper I postulate that the processing of concepts which are deemed controllable is rooted in neurological machinery located in the posterior parietal cortex specialised for the processing of objects which are immediately actionable or controllable because they are within reach. I theorise that the use of a common machinery facilitates spatial influence on the perception of concepts such that the win outcome which is 'almost complete' is perceived as being 'almost within reach'. The perceived realisability of the win increases subjective reward probability and the associated expected action value which impacts decision-making and behaviour. This novel hypothesis is the first to offer a neurological model which can comprehensively explain many empirical findings associated with the near-miss effect as well as other gambling phenomena such as the ‘illusion of control’. Furthermore, when extended to other compulsive behaviours such as drug addiction, the model can offer an explanation for continued drug-seeking following devaluation and for the increase in cravings in response to perceived opportunity to self-administer, neither of which can be explained by simple reinforcement models alone. This paper therefore provides an innovative and unifying perspective for the study and treatment of behavioural and substance addictions.

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