Broadband visual stimuli improve neuronal representation and sensory perception
Abstract Natural scenes consist of complex feature distributions that shape neural responses and perception. However, in contrast to single features like stimulus orientations, the impact of broadband feature distributions remains unclear. We, therefore, presented visual stimuli with parametrically-...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58003-1 |
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| author | Elisabeta Balla Gerion Nabbefeld Christopher Wiesbrock Jenice Linde Severin Graff Simon Musall Björn M. Kampa |
| author_facet | Elisabeta Balla Gerion Nabbefeld Christopher Wiesbrock Jenice Linde Severin Graff Simon Musall Björn M. Kampa |
| author_sort | Elisabeta Balla |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Natural scenes consist of complex feature distributions that shape neural responses and perception. However, in contrast to single features like stimulus orientations, the impact of broadband feature distributions remains unclear. We, therefore, presented visual stimuli with parametrically-controlled bandwidths of orientations and spatial frequencies to awake mice while recording neural activity in their primary visual cortex (V1). Increasing orientation but not spatial frequency bandwidth strongly increased the number and response amplitude of V1 neurons. This effect was not explained by single-cell orientation tuning but rather a broadband-specific relief from center-surround suppression. Moreover, neurons in deeper V1 and the superior colliculus responded much stronger to broadband stimuli, especially when mixing orientations and spatial frequencies. Lastly, broadband stimuli increased the separability of neural responses and improved the performance of mice in a visual discrimination task. Our results show that surround modulation increases neural responses to complex natural feature distributions to enhance sensory perception. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e9e45a3e125b4a548bc1c5eadc68219f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-e9e45a3e125b4a548bc1c5eadc68219f2025-08-20T03:40:50ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-03-0116112310.1038/s41467-025-58003-1Broadband visual stimuli improve neuronal representation and sensory perceptionElisabeta Balla0Gerion Nabbefeld1Christopher Wiesbrock2Jenice Linde3Severin Graff4Simon Musall5Björn M. Kampa6Systems Neurophysiology, Department of Neurobiology, RWTH Aachen UniversitySystems Neurophysiology, Department of Neurobiology, RWTH Aachen UniversitySystems Neurophysiology, Department of Neurobiology, RWTH Aachen UniversitySystems Neurophysiology, Department of Neurobiology, RWTH Aachen UniversitySystems Neurophysiology, Department of Neurobiology, RWTH Aachen UniversitySystems Neurophysiology, Department of Neurobiology, RWTH Aachen UniversitySystems Neurophysiology, Department of Neurobiology, RWTH Aachen UniversityAbstract Natural scenes consist of complex feature distributions that shape neural responses and perception. However, in contrast to single features like stimulus orientations, the impact of broadband feature distributions remains unclear. We, therefore, presented visual stimuli with parametrically-controlled bandwidths of orientations and spatial frequencies to awake mice while recording neural activity in their primary visual cortex (V1). Increasing orientation but not spatial frequency bandwidth strongly increased the number and response amplitude of V1 neurons. This effect was not explained by single-cell orientation tuning but rather a broadband-specific relief from center-surround suppression. Moreover, neurons in deeper V1 and the superior colliculus responded much stronger to broadband stimuli, especially when mixing orientations and spatial frequencies. Lastly, broadband stimuli increased the separability of neural responses and improved the performance of mice in a visual discrimination task. Our results show that surround modulation increases neural responses to complex natural feature distributions to enhance sensory perception.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58003-1 |
| spellingShingle | Elisabeta Balla Gerion Nabbefeld Christopher Wiesbrock Jenice Linde Severin Graff Simon Musall Björn M. Kampa Broadband visual stimuli improve neuronal representation and sensory perception Nature Communications |
| title | Broadband visual stimuli improve neuronal representation and sensory perception |
| title_full | Broadband visual stimuli improve neuronal representation and sensory perception |
| title_fullStr | Broadband visual stimuli improve neuronal representation and sensory perception |
| title_full_unstemmed | Broadband visual stimuli improve neuronal representation and sensory perception |
| title_short | Broadband visual stimuli improve neuronal representation and sensory perception |
| title_sort | broadband visual stimuli improve neuronal representation and sensory perception |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58003-1 |
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