Visual Features for Visual Attention
Trial Summary
What is the purpose of this trial?
How does one know what to look at in a scene? Imagine a "Where's Waldo" game - it's challenging to find Waldo because there are many 'salient' locations in the picture, each vying for one's attention. One can only attend to a small location on the picture at a given moment, so to find Waldo, one needs to direct their attention to different locations. One prominent theory about how one accomplishes this claims that important locations are identified based on distinct feature types (for example, motion or color), with locations most unique compared to the background most likely to be attended. An important component of this theory is that individual feature dimensions (again, color or motion) are computed within their own 'feature maps', which are thought to be implemented in specific brain regions. However, whether and how specific brain regions contribute to these feature maps remains unknown. The goal of this study is to determine how brain regions that respond strongly to different feature types (color and motion) and which encode spatial locations of visual stimuli extract 'feature dimension maps' based on stimulus properties, including feature contrast. The investigators hypothesize that feature-selective brain regions act as neural feature dimension maps, and thus encode representations of salient location(s) based on their preferred feature dimension. The investigators will scan healthy human participants using functional MRI (fMRI) in a repeated-measures design while they view visual stimuli made salient based on different combinations of feature dimensions. The investigators will employ state-of-the-art multivariate analysis techniques that allow them to reconstruct an 'image' of the stimulus representation encoded by each brain region to dissect how neural tissue identifies salient locations. Each participant will perform a challenging task at the center of the screen to ensure they keep their eyes still and ignore the stimuli presented in the periphery, which are used to gauge how the visual system automatically extracts important locations without confounding factors like eye movements. Across trials and experiments the investigators will manipulate 1) the 'strength' of the salient locations based on how different the salient stimulus is compared to the background, 2) the number of salient locations, and 3) the feature value(s) used to make each location salient. Altogether, these manipulations will help the investigators fully understand these critical salience computations in the healthy human visual system.
Will I have to stop taking my current medications?
The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.
How does this treatment for visual attention differ from other treatments?
This treatment is unique because it focuses on using visual features to guide attention by integrating different feature dimensions like color and motion into a priority map, which helps in identifying and focusing on important visual information. Unlike other treatments, it leverages the brain's natural ability to prioritize visual stimuli based on salience and relevance, potentially offering a more targeted approach to improving visual attention.12345
Research Team
Tommy C Sprague
Principal Investigator
University of California, Santa Barbara
Eligibility Criteria
This trial is for healthy individuals interested in how the brain processes visual information. Participants should be able to focus on a task without moving their eyes, as they will view stimuli with varying levels of 'salience' or importance, like color and motion differences.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Anatomical & Retinotopic Mapping
Participants undergo an anatomical and retinotopic mapping session to identify brain regions for further analysis
Experimental fMRI Sessions
Participants engage in visual attention tasks during fMRI scanning to study the role of feature-selective brain regions
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after the experimental sessions
Treatment Details
Interventions
- Probing the Role of Feature Dimension Maps in Visual Cognition: Impact of Salience Level (Expt 1.1)
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
University of California, Santa Barbara
Lead Sponsor
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Collaborator