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Dissociating the neural mechanisms of visual attention in change detection using functional MRI.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Huettel, SA; Güzeldere, G; McCarthy, G
Published in: Journal of cognitive neuroscience
October 2001

We investigated using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) the neural processes associated with performance of a change-detection task. In this task, two versions of the same picture are presented in alternation, separated by a brief mask interval. Even when the two pictures greatly differ (e.g., as when a building is in different locations), subjects report that identification of the change is difficult and often take 30 or more seconds to identify the change. This phenomenon of "change blindness" provides a powerful and novel paradigm for segregating components of visual attention using fMRI that can otherwise be confounded in short-duration tasks. By using a response-contingent event-related analysis technique, we successfully dissociated brain regions associated with different processing components of a visual change-detection task. Activation in the calcarine cortex was associated with task onset, but did not vary with the duration of visual search. In contrast, the pattern of activation in dorsal and ventral visual areas was temporally associated with the duration of visual search. As such, our results support a distinction between brain regions whose activation is modulated by attentional demands of the visual task (extrastriate cortex) and those that are not affected by it (primary visual cortex). A second network of areas including central sulcus, insular, and inferior frontal cortical areas, along with the thalamus and basal ganglia, showed phasic activation tied to the execution of responses. Finally, parietal and frontal regions showed systematic deactivations during task performance, consistent with previous reports that these regions may be associated with nontask semantic processing. We conclude that detection of change, when transient visual cues are not present, requires activation of extrastriate visual regions and frontal regions responsible for eye movements. These results suggest that studies of change blindness can inform understanding of more general attentional processing.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Journal of cognitive neuroscience

DOI

EISSN

1530-8898

ISSN

0898-929X

Publication Date

October 2001

Volume

13

Issue

7

Start / End Page

1006 / 1018

Related Subject Headings

  • Visual Perception
  • Visual Cortex
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Humans
  • Experimental Psychology
  • Brain
  • Attention
  • Adult
  • 5204 Cognitive and computational psychology
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Huettel, S. A., Güzeldere, G., & McCarthy, G. (2001). Dissociating the neural mechanisms of visual attention in change detection using functional MRI. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 13(7), 1006–1018. https://doi.org/10.1162/089892901753165908
Huettel, S. A., G. Güzeldere, and G. McCarthy. “Dissociating the neural mechanisms of visual attention in change detection using functional MRI.Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 13, no. 7 (October 2001): 1006–18. https://doi.org/10.1162/089892901753165908.
Huettel SA, Güzeldere G, McCarthy G. Dissociating the neural mechanisms of visual attention in change detection using functional MRI. Journal of cognitive neuroscience. 2001 Oct;13(7):1006–18.
Huettel, S. A., et al. “Dissociating the neural mechanisms of visual attention in change detection using functional MRI.Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, vol. 13, no. 7, Oct. 2001, pp. 1006–18. Epmc, doi:10.1162/089892901753165908.
Huettel SA, Güzeldere G, McCarthy G. Dissociating the neural mechanisms of visual attention in change detection using functional MRI. Journal of cognitive neuroscience. 2001 Oct;13(7):1006–1018.
Journal cover image

Published In

Journal of cognitive neuroscience

DOI

EISSN

1530-8898

ISSN

0898-929X

Publication Date

October 2001

Volume

13

Issue

7

Start / End Page

1006 / 1018

Related Subject Headings

  • Visual Perception
  • Visual Cortex
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Humans
  • Experimental Psychology
  • Brain
  • Attention
  • Adult
  • 5204 Cognitive and computational psychology