Prefrontal cortex activity during binocular color fusion and rivalry: an fNIRS study

IntroductionUnderstanding how the brain processes color information from both the left and right eyes is a significant topic in neuroscience. Binocular color fusion and rivalry, which involve advanced cognitive functions in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), provide a unique perspective for exploring brai...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xiang Liu, Xuesong Jin, Lijun Yun, Zaiqing Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Neurology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1527434/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850187465646669824
author Xiang Liu
Xiang Liu
Xiang Liu
Xuesong Jin
Xuesong Jin
Lijun Yun
Lijun Yun
Zaiqing Chen
Zaiqing Chen
Zaiqing Chen
Zaiqing Chen
author_facet Xiang Liu
Xiang Liu
Xiang Liu
Xuesong Jin
Xuesong Jin
Lijun Yun
Lijun Yun
Zaiqing Chen
Zaiqing Chen
Zaiqing Chen
Zaiqing Chen
author_sort Xiang Liu
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionUnderstanding how the brain processes color information from both the left and right eyes is a significant topic in neuroscience. Binocular color fusion and rivalry, which involve advanced cognitive functions in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), provide a unique perspective for exploring brain activity.MethodsThis study used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to examine PFC activity during binocular color fusion and rivalry conditions. The study included two fNIRS experiments: Experiment 1 employed long-duration (90 s) stimulation to assess brain functional connectivity, while Experiment 2 used short-duration (10 s) repeated stimulation (eight trials), analyzed with a generalized linear model to evaluate brain activation levels. Statistical tests were then conducted to compare the differences in brain functional connectivity strength and activation levels.ResultsThe results indicated that functional connectivity strength was significantly higher during the color fusion condition than the color rivalry condition, and the color rivalry condition was stronger than the Mid-Gray field condition. Additionally, brain activation levels during binocular color fusion were significantly greater, with significant differences concentrated in channel (CH) 12, CH13, and CH14. CH12 is located in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, while CH13 and CH14 are in the frontal eye fields, areas associated with higher cognitive functions and visual attention.DiscussionThese findings suggest that binocular color fusion requires stronger brain integration and higher brain activation levels. Overall, this study demonstrates that color fusion is more cognitively challenging than color rivalry, engaging more attention and executive functions. These results provide theoretical support for the development of color-based brain-computer interfaces and offer new insights into future research on the brain's color-visual information processing mechanisms.
format Article
id doaj-art-7506f03802ad459b8e4e22ef50e991d8
institution OA Journals
issn 1664-2295
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Neurology
spelling doaj-art-7506f03802ad459b8e4e22ef50e991d82025-08-20T02:16:06ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neurology1664-22952025-04-011610.3389/fneur.2025.15274341527434Prefrontal cortex activity during binocular color fusion and rivalry: an fNIRS studyXiang Liu0Xiang Liu1Xiang Liu2Xuesong Jin3Xuesong Jin4Lijun Yun5Lijun Yun6Zaiqing Chen7Zaiqing Chen8Zaiqing Chen9Zaiqing Chen10Yunnan Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Information Technology, Kunming, ChinaYuxi Key Laboratory of Mental Health Examination, Yuxi, Yunnan, ChinaDepartment of Education of Yunnan Province, Engineering Research Center of Computer Vision and Intelligent Control Technology, Kunming, ChinaYuxi Key Laboratory of Mental Health Examination, Yuxi, Yunnan, ChinaDepartment of Education of Yunnan Province, Engineering Research Center of Computer Vision and Intelligent Control Technology, Kunming, ChinaYuxi Key Laboratory of Mental Health Examination, Yuxi, Yunnan, ChinaDepartment of Education of Yunnan Province, Engineering Research Center of Computer Vision and Intelligent Control Technology, Kunming, ChinaYunnan Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Information Technology, Kunming, ChinaYuxi Key Laboratory of Mental Health Examination, Yuxi, Yunnan, ChinaDepartment of Education of Yunnan Province, Engineering Research Center of Computer Vision and Intelligent Control Technology, Kunming, ChinaSchool of Information Science and Technology, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, ChinaIntroductionUnderstanding how the brain processes color information from both the left and right eyes is a significant topic in neuroscience. Binocular color fusion and rivalry, which involve advanced cognitive functions in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), provide a unique perspective for exploring brain activity.MethodsThis study used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to examine PFC activity during binocular color fusion and rivalry conditions. The study included two fNIRS experiments: Experiment 1 employed long-duration (90 s) stimulation to assess brain functional connectivity, while Experiment 2 used short-duration (10 s) repeated stimulation (eight trials), analyzed with a generalized linear model to evaluate brain activation levels. Statistical tests were then conducted to compare the differences in brain functional connectivity strength and activation levels.ResultsThe results indicated that functional connectivity strength was significantly higher during the color fusion condition than the color rivalry condition, and the color rivalry condition was stronger than the Mid-Gray field condition. Additionally, brain activation levels during binocular color fusion were significantly greater, with significant differences concentrated in channel (CH) 12, CH13, and CH14. CH12 is located in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, while CH13 and CH14 are in the frontal eye fields, areas associated with higher cognitive functions and visual attention.DiscussionThese findings suggest that binocular color fusion requires stronger brain integration and higher brain activation levels. Overall, this study demonstrates that color fusion is more cognitively challenging than color rivalry, engaging more attention and executive functions. These results provide theoretical support for the development of color-based brain-computer interfaces and offer new insights into future research on the brain's color-visual information processing mechanisms.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1527434/fullbinocular color fusion and rivalryfunctional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)prefrontal cortex (PFC)brain functional connectivitygeneralized linear model
spellingShingle Xiang Liu
Xiang Liu
Xiang Liu
Xuesong Jin
Xuesong Jin
Lijun Yun
Lijun Yun
Zaiqing Chen
Zaiqing Chen
Zaiqing Chen
Zaiqing Chen
Prefrontal cortex activity during binocular color fusion and rivalry: an fNIRS study
Frontiers in Neurology
binocular color fusion and rivalry
functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)
prefrontal cortex (PFC)
brain functional connectivity
generalized linear model
title Prefrontal cortex activity during binocular color fusion and rivalry: an fNIRS study
title_full Prefrontal cortex activity during binocular color fusion and rivalry: an fNIRS study
title_fullStr Prefrontal cortex activity during binocular color fusion and rivalry: an fNIRS study
title_full_unstemmed Prefrontal cortex activity during binocular color fusion and rivalry: an fNIRS study
title_short Prefrontal cortex activity during binocular color fusion and rivalry: an fNIRS study
title_sort prefrontal cortex activity during binocular color fusion and rivalry an fnirs study
topic binocular color fusion and rivalry
functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)
prefrontal cortex (PFC)
brain functional connectivity
generalized linear model
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1527434/full
work_keys_str_mv AT xiangliu prefrontalcortexactivityduringbinocularcolorfusionandrivalryanfnirsstudy
AT xiangliu prefrontalcortexactivityduringbinocularcolorfusionandrivalryanfnirsstudy
AT xiangliu prefrontalcortexactivityduringbinocularcolorfusionandrivalryanfnirsstudy
AT xuesongjin prefrontalcortexactivityduringbinocularcolorfusionandrivalryanfnirsstudy
AT xuesongjin prefrontalcortexactivityduringbinocularcolorfusionandrivalryanfnirsstudy
AT lijunyun prefrontalcortexactivityduringbinocularcolorfusionandrivalryanfnirsstudy
AT lijunyun prefrontalcortexactivityduringbinocularcolorfusionandrivalryanfnirsstudy
AT zaiqingchen prefrontalcortexactivityduringbinocularcolorfusionandrivalryanfnirsstudy
AT zaiqingchen prefrontalcortexactivityduringbinocularcolorfusionandrivalryanfnirsstudy
AT zaiqingchen prefrontalcortexactivityduringbinocularcolorfusionandrivalryanfnirsstudy
AT zaiqingchen prefrontalcortexactivityduringbinocularcolorfusionandrivalryanfnirsstudy