論文

査読有り
2013年12月6日

Spatial and feature-based attention in a layered cortical microcircuit model

PLoS ONE
  • Nobuhiko Wagatsuma
  • ,
  • Tobias C. Potjans
  • ,
  • Markus Diesmann
  • ,
  • Ko Sakai
  • ,
  • Tomoki Fukai

8
12
記述言語
英語
掲載種別
研究論文(学術雑誌)
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0080788

Directing attention to the spatial location or the distinguishing feature of a visual object modulates neuronal responses in the visual cortex and the stimulus discriminability of subjects. However, the spatial and feature-based modes of attention differently influence visual processing by changing the tuning properties of neurons. Intriguingly, neurons' tuning curves are modulated similarly across different visual areas under both these modes of attention. Here, we explored the mechanism underlying the effects of these two modes of visual attention on the orientation selectivity of visual cortical neurons. To do this, we developed a layered microcircuit model. This model describes multiple orientation-specific microcircuits sharing their receptive fields and consisting of layers 2/3, 4, 5, and 6. These microcircuits represent a functional grouping of cortical neurons and mutually interact via lateral inhibition and excitatory connections between groups with similar selectivity. The individual microcircuits receive bottom-up visual stimuli and top-down attention in different layers. A crucial assumption of the model is that feature-based attention activates orientation-specific microcircuits for the relevant feature selectively, whereas spatial attention activates all microcircuits homogeneously, irrespective of their orientation selectivity. Consequently, our model simultaneously accounts for the multiplicative scaling of neuronal responses in spatial attention and the additive modulations of orientation tuning curves in feature-based attention, which have been observed widely in various visual cortical areas. Simulations of the model predict contrasting differences between excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the two modes of attentional modulations. Furthermore, the model replicates the modulation of the psychophysical discriminability of visual stimuli in the presence of external noise. Our layered model with a biologically suggested laminar structure describes the basic circuit mechanism underlying the attention-mode specific modulations of neuronal responses and visual perception. Copyright: © 2013 Wagatsuma et al.

リンク情報
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0080788
PubMed
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24324628
ID情報
  • DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0080788
  • ISSN : 1932-6203
  • PubMed ID : 24324628
  • SCOPUS ID : 84891923706

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