Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Physiology and Related Models of Associative Visual Processing

  • Chapter
Networks: From Biology to Theory

  • 852 Accesses

Abstract

This is a review of our work on multiple microelectrode recordings from the visual cortex of monkeys and subdural recordings from humans, related to the potential underlying neural mechanisms. The former hypothesis of object representation by synchronization in visual cortex (or, more generally, of flexible associative processing) has been supported by our recent experiments in monkeys, which demonstrated local synchrony among rhythmic or stochastic γ-activities (30–90 Hz) and perceptual modulation, according to the rules of figure-ground segregation. However, γ-synchrony in primary visual cortex is restricted to few millimeters, challenging the synchronization hypothesis for larger cortical object representations. We found that the spatial restriction is due to γ-waves, traveling in random directions across the object representations. It will be argued that phase continuity of these waves can support the coding of object continuity. Based on models with spiking neurons, potentially underlying neural mechanisms are proposed: (1) Fast inhibitory feedback loops can generate locally synchronized γ-activities. (2) Hebbian learning of lateral and feed forward connections with distance-dependent delays can explain the stabilization of cortical retinotopy, the limited size of synchronization, the occurrence of γ-waves, and the larger receptive fields at successive levels. (3) Slow inhibitory feedback can support figure-ground segregation. In conclusion, it is proposed that the hypothesis of flexible associative processing by γ-synchronization, including coherent representations of visual objects, has to be extended to more general forms of signal coupling.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Reitboeck HJ (1983) A multi-electrode matrix for studies of temporal signal correlations within neural assemblies. In:Basar E et al, (eds). Synergetics of the Brain, Springer, Berlin 174–182.

    Google Scholar 

  2. von der Malsburg C, Schneider W (1986) A neural cocktail-party processor. Biol Cybern 54:29–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Eckhorn R, Bauer R, Jordan W, Brosch M, Kruse W, Munk M, et al (1988) Coherent oscillations:a mechanism of feature linking in the visual cortex? Multiple electrode and correlation analyses in the cat. Biol Cybern 60:121–130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Gray CM, König P, Engel AK, Singer W (1989) Oscillatory responses in cat visual cortex exhibit inter-columnar synchronization which reflects global stimulus properties. Nature 338:334–337.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Eckhorn R (1994) Oscillatory and non-oscillatory synchronizations in the visual cortex of cat and monkey. In:Pantev C, Elbert T, Lütkenhöner B (eds). Oscillatory Event-Related Brain Dynamics. Plenum Press, New York, 115–134.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Kreiter A, Singer W (1992) Oscillatory neuronal responses in the visual cortex of the awake macaque monkey. Eur J Neurosci 4:369–375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Frien A, Eckhorn R, Bauer R, Woelbern T, Kehr H (1994) Stimulus-specific fast oscillations at zero phase between visual areas V1 and V2 of awake monkey. Neuroreport 5:2273–2277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Gray CM (1999) The temporal correlation hypothesis of visual feature integration:still alive and well. Neuron 24:31–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Eckhorn R (1999) Neural mechanisms of visual feature binding investigated with microelectrodes and models. Vis Cogn 6:231–265.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Frien A, Eckhorn R (2000) Functional coupling shows stronger stimulus dependency for fast oscillations than for low-frequency components in striate cortex of awake monkey. Eur J Neurosci 12:1466–1478.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Wertheimer M (1923) Untersuchungen zur Lehre von der Gestalt:II. Psychologische Forschung 4:301–350.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Gabriel A, Eckhorn R (2003) Multi-channel correlation method detects traveling gamma-waves in monkey visual cortex. J Neurosci Methods 131:171–184.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Nowak LG, Bullier J (1997) The timing of information transfer in the visual system in extrastriate cortex in primates. In:Rockland et al, (eds). Cerebral Cortex. Plenum Press, New York, 205–240.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Bruns A, Eckhorn R (2004) Task-related coupling from high-to low-frequency signals among visual cortical areas in human subdural recordings. Int J Psychophysiol 51:97–116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Gail A, Brinksmeyer HJ, Eckhorn R (2000) Contour decouples gamma activity across texture representation in monkey striate cortex. Cereb Cortex 10:840–850.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Eckhorn R, Bruns A, Saam M, Gail A, Gabriel A, Brinksmeyer HJ (2001) Flexible cortical gamma-band correlations suggest neural principles of visual processing. Vis Cogn 8:519–530.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Woelbern T, Eckhorn R, Frien A, Bauer R (2002) Perceptual grouping correlates with short synchronization in monkey prestriate cortex. Neuroreport 13:1881–1886.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Steriade M, Amzica F, Contreras D (1996) Synchronization of fast (30–40 Hz) spontaneous cortical rhythms during brain activation. J Neurosci 16:392–417.

    Google Scholar 

  19. McGuire BA, Gilbert CD, Rivlin PK, Wiesel TN (1991) Targets of horizontal connections in macaque primary visual cortex. J Comp Neurol 305:370–392.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Bosking WH, Crowley JC, Fitzpatrick D (2002) Spatial coding of position and orientation in primary visual cortex. Nature Neurosci 5:874–882.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Jefferys JGR, Traub RD, Whittington MA (1996) Neuronal networks for induced 40 Hz rhythms. Trends Neuosci 19:202–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Chang HJ, Freeman WJ (1996) Parameter optimization in models of the olfactory neural system. Neural Networks 9:1–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. van Vreeswijk C, Abbott LF, Ermentrout GB (1994) When inhibition not excitation synchronizes neural firing. J Comput Neurosci 1:313–321.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Freeman WJ (1996) Feedback models of gamma rhythms. Trends Neurosci 19:468–470.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Bush P, Sejnowski T (1996) Inhibition synchronizes sparsely connected cortical neurons within and between columns in realistic network models. J Comput Neurosci 3:91–110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Wennekers T, Palm G (2000) Cell assemblies, associative memory and temporal structure in brain signals. In:Miller R (ed). Time and the Brain. Conceptual Advances in Brain Research, vol. 3. Harwood Academic Publishers, 251–273.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Eckhorn R (2000) Cortical processing by fast synchronization:high frequency rhythmic and non-rhythmic signals in the visual cortex point to general principles of spatiotemporal coding. In:Miller R (ed). Time and the Brain. Gordon & Breach, Lausanne, 169–201.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Braitenberg V, Schüz A (1991) Anatomy of the Cortex. Springer, Berlin.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Eckhorn R, Reiboeck HJ, Arndt M, Dicke P (1990) Feature linking via synchronization among distributed assemblies:simulations of results from cat visual cortex. Neural Comput 2:293–307.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Wang DL (1995) Emergent synchrony in locally coupled neural oscillators. IEEE Trans Neural Netw 6:941–948.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. König P, Schillen TB (1991) Stimulus-dependent assembly formation of oscillatory responses:I. Synchronization. Neural Comput 3:155–166.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Li Z (1998) A neural model of contour integration in the primary visual cortex. Neural Comput 10:903–940.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Bosking WH, Zhang Y, Schofield B, Fitzpatrick D (1997) Orientation selectivity and the arrangement of horizontal connections in tree shrew striate cortex. J Neurosci 17:2112–2127.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Gilbert C (1993) Circuitry, architecture, and functional dynamics of visual cortex. Cereb Cortex 3:373–386.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Saam M, Eckhorn R (2000) Lateral spike conduction velocity in visual cortex affects spatial range of synchronization and receptive field size without visual experience:a learning model with spiking neurons. Biol Cybern 83:L1-L9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Kempter R, Gerstner W, van Hemmen JL (1999) Hebbian learning and spiking neurons. Phys Rev E 59:4498–4514.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  37. Fox K, Daw N (1992) A model of the action of NMDA conductances in the visual cortex. Neural Comput 4:59–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Johnson JL (1993) Waves in pulse-coupled neural networks. In:Proceedings of the World Congress on Neural Networks, vol. 4, 299–302.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Johnson JL (1994) Pulse-coupled neural networks. In:Proceedings of the SPIE Critical Rev, 55:47–76.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Trachtenberg JT, Stryker MP (2001) Rapid anatomical plasticity of horizontal connections in the developing visual cortex. J Neurosci 21:3476–3482.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Ruthazer ES, Stryker MP (1996) The role of activity in the development of longrange horizontal connections in area 17 of the ferret. J Neurosci 16:7253–7269.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Crair MC, Gillespie DC, Stryker MP (1998) The role of visual experience in the development of columns in cat visual cortex. Science 279:566–570.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Freeman WJ, Barrie JM (2000) Analysis of spatial patterns of phase in neocortical gamma EEGs in rabbit. J Neurophysiol 84:1266–1278.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Girard P, Hupé JM, Bullier J (2001) Feedforward and feedback connections between areas V1 and V2 of the monkey have similar rapid conduction velocities. J Neurophysiol 85:1328–1331.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Reinhard Eckhorn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alexander Gail
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Basim Al-Shaikhli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Andreas Bruns
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Andreas Gabriel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Mirko Saam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Computer Science Department, Warwick University, Coventry, UK

    Jianfeng Feng PhD

  2. Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig, Germany

    Jürgen Jost PhD

  3. Centre for Theoretical Biology, Peking University, Beijing, PR China

    Minping Qian PhD

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2007 Springer

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Eckhorn, R., Gail, A., Al-Shaikhli, B., Bruns, A., Gabriel, A., Saam, M. (2007). Physiology and Related Models of Associative Visual Processing. In: Feng, J., Jost, J., Qian, M. (eds) Networks: From Biology to Theory. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84628-780-0_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84628-780-0_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-84628-485-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-84628-780-0

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation