Increased internal noise cannot account for motion coherence processing deficits in migraine

Aim: This study aimed to revisit previous findings of superior processing of motion direction in migraineurs with a more stringent direction discrimination task and to investigate whether increased internal noise can account for motion processing deficits in migraineurs. Methods: Groups of 13 migraineurs (4 with aura, 9 without aura) and 15 headache-free controls completed three psychophysical tasks: one detecting coherence in a motion stimulus, one discriminating the spiral angle in a glass pattern and another discriminating the spiral angle in a global-motion task. Internal noise estimates were obtained for all tasks using an N-pass method. Results: Consistent with previous research, migraineurs had higher motion coherence thresholds than controls. However, there were no significant performance differences on the spiral global-motion and global-form tasks. There was no significant group difference in internal noise estimates associated with any of the tasks. Conclusions: The results from this study suggest that variation in internal noise levels is not the mechanism driving motion coherence threshold differences in migraine. Rather, we argue that motion processing deficits may result from cortical changes leading to less efficient extraction of global-motion signals from noise.

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The direction after-effect is a global motion phenomenon

Royal Society Open Science ◽

10.1098/rsos.190114 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 190114

Author(s):

William Curran ◽

Lee Beattie ◽

Delfina Bilello ◽

Laura A. Coulter ◽

Jade A. Currie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neural Mechanisms ◽

Motion Processing ◽

Global Motion ◽

Local Motion ◽

Motion Direction ◽

Processing Level ◽

True Motion ◽

Pattern Motion ◽

Moving Stimulus ◽

After Effect

Prior experience influences visual perception. For example, extended viewing of a moving stimulus results in the misperception of a subsequent stimulus's motion direction—the direction after-effect (DAE). There has been an ongoing debate regarding the locus of the neural mechanisms underlying the DAE. We know the mechanisms are cortical, but there is uncertainty about where in the visual cortex they are located—at relatively early local motion processing stages, or at later global motion stages. We used a unikinetic plaid as an adapting stimulus, then measured the DAE experienced with a drifting random dot test stimulus. A unikinetic plaid comprises a static grating superimposed on a drifting grating of a different orientation. Observers cannot see the true motion direction of the moving component; instead they see pattern motion running parallel to the static component. The pattern motion of unikinetic plaids is encoded at the global processing level—specifically, in cortical areas MT and MST—and the local motion component is encoded earlier. We measured the direction after-effect as a function of the plaid's local and pattern motion directions. The DAE was induced by the plaid's pattern motion, but not by its component motion. This points to the neural mechanisms underlying the DAE being located at the global motion processing level, and no earlier than area MT.

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The role of contrast sensitivity in global motion processing deficits in the elderly

Journal of Vision ◽

10.1167/10.10.15 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. 15-15 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

H. A. Allen ◽

C. V. Hutchinson ◽

T. Ledgeway ◽

P. Gayle

Keyword(s):

Contrast Sensitivity ◽

The Elderly ◽

Motion Processing ◽

Global Motion ◽

Processing Deficits

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Spatial Frequency Tuning and Transfer of Perceptual Learning for Motion Coherence Reflects the Tuning Properties of Global Motion Processing

Vision ◽

10.3390/vision3030044 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 44 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jordi Asher ◽

Vincenzo Romei ◽

Paul Hibbard

Keyword(s):

Spatial Frequency ◽

Perceptual Learning ◽

Contrast Sensitivity ◽

High Frequency ◽

Frequency Tuning ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Motion Processing ◽

Global Motion ◽

Low Frequencies ◽

Motion Coherence

Perceptual learning is typically highly specific to the stimuli and task used during training. However, recently, it has been shown that training on global motion can transfer to untrained tasks, reflecting the generalising properties of mechanisms at this level of processing. We investigated (i) if feedback was required for learning in a motion coherence task, (ii) the transfer across the spatial frequency of training on a global motion coherence task and (iii) the transfer of this training to a measure of contrast sensitivity. For our first experiment, two groups, with and without feedback, trained for ten days on a broadband motion coherence task. Results indicated that feedback was a requirement for robust learning. For the second experiment, training consisted of five days of direction discrimination using one of three motion coherence stimuli (where individual elements were comprised of either broadband Gaussian blobs or low- or high-frequency random-dot Gabor patches), with trial-by-trial auditory feedback. A pre- and post-training assessment was conducted for each of the three types of global motion coherence conditions and high and low spatial frequency contrast sensitivity (both without feedback). Our training paradigm was successful at eliciting improvement in the trained tasks over the five days. Post-training assessments found evidence of transfer for the motion coherence task exclusively for the group trained on low spatial frequency elements. For the contrast sensitivity tasks, improved performance was observed for low- and high-frequency stimuli, following motion coherence training with broadband stimuli, and for low-frequency stimuli, following low-frequency training. Our findings are consistent with perceptual learning, which depends on the global stage of motion processing in higher cortical areas, which is broadly tuned for spatial frequency, with a preference for low frequencies.

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Low-level processing deficits underlying poor contrast sensitivity for moving plaids in anisometropic amblyopia

Visual Neuroscience ◽

10.1017/s095252381200034x ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 29 (6) ◽

pp. 315-323 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

YONG TANG ◽

LINYI CHEN ◽

ZHONGJIAN LIU ◽

CAIYUAN LIU ◽

YIFENG ZHOU

Keyword(s):

Contrast Sensitivity ◽

Significant Loss ◽

Extrastriate Cortex ◽

Motion Processing ◽

Motion Direction ◽

Temporal Area ◽

Anisometropic Amblyopia ◽

Low Level ◽

Spatial Frequencies ◽

Processing Deficits

AbstractMany studies using random dot kinematograms have indicated a global motion processing deficit originated from extrastriate cortex, specifically middle temporal area (MT) and media superior temporal area (MST), in patients with amblyopia. However, the nature of this deficit remains unclear. To explore whether the ability of motion integration is impaired in amblyopia, contrast sensitivity for moving plaids and their corresponding component gratings were measured over a range of stimulus durations and spatial and temporal frequencies in 10 control subjects and 13 anisometropic amblyopes by using a motion direction discrimination task. The results indicated a significant loss of contrast sensitivity for moving plaids as well as for moving gratings at intermediate and high spatial frequencies in amblyopic eyes (AEs). Additionally, we found that the loss of contrast sensitivity for moving plaids was statistically equivalent to that for moving component gratings in AEs, that is, the former could be almost completely accounted for by the latter. These results suggest that the integration of motion information conveyed by component gratings of moving plaids may be intact in anisometropic amblyopia, and that the apparent deficits in contrast sensitivity for moving plaids in anisometropic amblyopia can be almost completely attributed to those for gratings, that is, low-level processing deficits.

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When S-cones contribute to chromatic global motion processing

Visual Neuroscience ◽

10.1017/s0952523807230081 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

ALEXA I. RUPPERTSBERG ◽

SOPHIE M. WUERGER ◽

MARCO BERTAMINI

Keyword(s):

Motion Processing ◽

Current Debate ◽

Color Contrast ◽

Global Motion ◽

Motion Direction ◽

Motion Integration ◽

Conflicting Evidence ◽

Simple Detection ◽

The Individual ◽

Contrast Thresholds

There is common consensus now that color-defined motion can be perceived by the human visual system. For global motion integration tasks based on isoluminant random dot kinematograms conflicting evidence exists, whether observers can (Ruppertsberg et al., 2003) or cannot (Bilodeau & Faubert, 1999) extract a common motion direction for stimuli modulated along the isoluminant red-green axis. Here we report conditions, in which S-cones contribute to chromatic global motion processing. When the display included extra-foveal regions, the individual elements were large (∼0.3°) and the displacement was large (∼1°), stimuli modulated along the yellowish-violet axis proved to be effective in a global motion task. The color contrast thresholds for detection for both color axes were well below the contrasts required for global motion integration, and therefore the discrimination-to-detection ratio was >1. We conclude that there is significant S-cone input to chromatic global motion processing and the extraction of global motion is not mediated by the same mechanism as simple detection. Whether the koniocellular or the magnocellular pathway is involved in transmitting S-cone signals is a topic of current debate (Chatterjee & Callaway, 2002).

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Motion Perception in Migraineurs: Abnormalities are Not Related to Attention

Cephalalgia ◽

10.1111/j.1468-2982.2006.01182.x ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 26 (9) ◽

pp. 1131-1136 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

AM McKendrick ◽

DR Badcock ◽

JC Badcock ◽

M Gurgone

Keyword(s):

Motion Perception ◽

Cognitive Processing ◽

Poor Performance ◽

Global Motion ◽

Motion Direction ◽

Neuropsychological Status ◽

Cortical Hyperexcitability ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Motion Coherence ◽

Cognitive Abnormality

Migraine groups have impaired ability to identify global motion direction in noisy random dot stimuli, an observation that has been used as evidence for cortical hyperexcitability. Several studies have also suggested abnormalities in cognitive processing, particularly in the domains of attention, visuo-spatial processing and memory. This study aimed to determine whether poor performance by migraineurs in motion coherence tasks could be explained by non-visual cognitive factors such as attention. Twenty-nine migraineurs and 27 non-headache controls participated. Global motion coherence thresholds were measured along with measures of neuropsychological function, using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). The migraine group had significantly higher motion coherence thresholds than controls. No significant difference in attention or any other RBANS index score was found between groups. Index scores did not correlate with motion perception thresholds. This study does not support inattention or other cognitive abnormality as an explanation for motion perception anomalies in migraine.

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Increased Internal Noise Cannot Account for Motion Coherence Processing Deficits in Migraine

Journal of Vision ◽

10.1167/11.11.434 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 434-434

Author(s):

K. Webster ◽

J. E. Dickinson ◽

J. Battista ◽

A. M. McKendrick ◽

D. R. Badcock

Keyword(s):

Internal Noise ◽

Motion Coherence ◽

Processing Deficits

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Brain activity evoked by motion direction changes and by global motion coherence shows different spatial distributions

Journal of Vision ◽

10.1167/8.6.674 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 8 (6) ◽

pp. 674-674 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

O. Braddick ◽

J. Wattam-Bell ◽

D. Birtles ◽

J. Loesch ◽

L. Loesch ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Brain Activity ◽

Spatial Distributions ◽

Global Motion ◽

Motion Direction ◽

Motion Coherence

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Global motion processing by populations of direction-selective retinal ganglion cells

10.1101/572438 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Jon Cafaro ◽

Joel Zylberberg ◽

Greg Field

Keyword(s):

Ganglion Cells ◽

Neural Population ◽

Mouse Retina ◽

Motion Processing ◽

High Temporal Resolution ◽

Retinal Ganglion ◽

Global Motion ◽

Local Motion ◽

Motion Direction ◽

Temporal Precision

AbstractSimple stimuli have been critical to understanding neural population codes in sensory systems. Yet it remains necessary to determine the extent to which this understanding generalizes to more complex conditions. To explore this problem, we measured how populations of direction-selective ganglion cells (DSGCs) from mouse retina respond to a global motion stimulus with its direction and speed changing dynamically. We then examined the encoding and decoding of motion direction in both individual and populations of DSGCs. Individual cells integrated global motion over ~200 ms, and responses were tuned to direction. However, responses were sparse and broadly tuned, which severely limited decoding performance from small DSGC populations. In contrast, larger populations compensated for response sparsity, enabling decoding with high temporal precision (<100 ms). At these timescales, correlated spiking was minimal and had little impact on decoding performance, unlike results obtained using simpler local motion stimuli decoded over longer timescales. We use these data to define different DSGC population decoding regimes that utilize or mitigate correlated spiking to achieve high spatial versus high temporal resolution.

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Improving motion detection via anodal transcranial direct current stimulation

Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience ◽

10.3233/rnn-201050 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 38 (5) ◽

pp. 395-405

Author(s):

Luca Battaglini ◽

Federica Mena ◽

Clara Casco

Keyword(s):

Direct Current ◽

Signal To Noise Ratio ◽

Individual Performance ◽

Coherent Motion ◽

Motion Processing ◽

Global Motion ◽

Local Motion ◽

Processing Efficiency ◽

Temporal Area ◽

Direct Current Stimulation

Background: To study motion perception, a stimulus consisting of a field of small, moving dots is often used. Generally, some of the dots coherently move in the same direction (signal) while the rest move randomly (noise). A percept of global coherent motion (CM) results when many different local motion signals are combined. CM computation is a complex process that requires the integrity of the middle-temporal area (MT/V5) and there is evidence that increasing the number of dots presented in the stimulus makes such computation more efficient. Objective: In this study, we explored whether anodal direct current stimulation (tDCS) over MT/V5 would increase individual performance in a CM task at a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR, i.e. low percentage of coherent dots) and with a target consisting of a large number of moving dots (high dot numerosity, e.g. >250 dots) with respect to low dot numerosity (<60 dots), indicating that tDCS favour the integration of local motion signal into a single global percept (global motion). Method: Participants were asked to perform a CM detection task (two-interval forced-choice, 2IFC) while they received anodal, cathodal, or sham stimulation on three different days. Results: Our findings showed no effect of cathodal tDCS with respect to the sham condition. Instead, anodal tDCS improves performance, but mostly when dot numerosity is high (>400 dots) to promote efficient global motion processing. Conclusions: The present study suggests that tDCS may be used under appropriate stimulus conditions (low SNR and high dot numerosity) to boost the global motion processing efficiency, and may be useful to empower clinical protocols to treat visual deficits.

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