To navigate effectively through a complex three-dimensional environment, we must accurately estimate our own motion relative to the objects around us. Perception of self-motion is a multi-modal process, involving integration of visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive/somatosensory cues. For example, patterns of image motion across the retina ('optic flow') can be strong cues to self-motion, as evidenced by the fact that optic flow alone can elicit the illusion of self-motion (vection). We propose here to systematically explore a potential contribution of area 2v in the perception of translational and/or rotational self-motion and to directly compare these contributions to those of the ventral intraparietal area (VIP) and the dorsal subdivision of the medial superior temporal (MSTd) areas. Area 2v is one of the so-called 'vestibular'cortical areas with both vestibular and optic flow responsiveness, located in the most anterior and lateral tip of the intraparietal sulcus. Simultaneous behavioral and electrophysiological experiments will be carried out using rhesus monkeys in a state-of-the-art virtual reality apparatus. These studies will combine behavioral, cognitive, and neural analyses to address an important, yet underdeveloped, area of sensory and cognitive neuroscience: the mechanisms of multi-sensory integration underlying self-motion perception. We will be attacking this difficult problem using a combination of `.
Specific aims 1 and 2 will characterize the 3D tuning properties of neurons during optic flow stimulation alone (Visual condition), motion in darkness (Vestibular condition) and Combined combinations of the two cues. In addition, we will also characterize the reference frames of Visual or Vestibular signals.
In aim 3, we will test for direct links between area 2v neuronal activity and self-motion perception using a fine motion direction discrimination task. Together, these studies will provide a vital test of the hypothesis that area 2v is part of the neural substrate for self-motion perception. The proposed studies aim at filling an apparent gap in knowledge, important for understanding and treating cognitive deficits of spatial perception.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01EY017866-03
Application #
7582263
Study Section
Central Visual Processing Study Section (CVP)
Program Officer
Steinmetz, Michael A
Project Start
2007-02-01
Project End
2012-01-31
Budget Start
2009-02-01
Budget End
2010-01-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$380,000
Indirect Cost
Name
Washington University
Department
Neurosciences
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
068552207
City
Saint Louis
State
MO
Country
United States
Zip Code
63130
Fan, Reuben H; Liu, Sheng; DeAngelis, Gregory C et al. (2015) Heading Tuning in Macaque Area V6. J Neurosci 35:16303-14
Sunkara, Adhira; DeAngelis, Gregory C; Angelaki, Dora E (2015) Role of visual and non-visual cues in constructing a rotation-invariant representation of heading in parietal cortex. Elife 4:
Yau, Jeffrey M; DeAngelis, Gregory C; Angelaki, Dora E (2015) Dissecting neural circuits for multisensory integration and crossmodal processing. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 370:20140203
Pitkow, Xaq; Liu, Sheng; Angelaki, Dora E et al. (2015) How Can Single Sensory Neurons Predict Behavior? Neuron 87:411-23
Angelaki, Dora E (2014) How Optic Flow and Inertial Cues Improve Motion Perception. Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol 79:141-8
Gu, Yong; Angelaki, Dora E; DeAngelis, Gregory C (2014) Contribution of correlated noise and selective decoding to choice probability measurements in extrastriate visual cortex. Elife 3:
Chen, Xiaodong; DeAngelis, Gregory C; Angelaki, Dora E (2014) Eye-centered visual receptive fields in the ventral intraparietal area. J Neurophysiol 112:353-61
Chen, Aihua; Deangelis, Gregory C; Angelaki, Dora E (2013) Functional specializations of the ventral intraparietal area for multisensory heading discrimination. J Neurosci 33:3567-81
Chen, Xiaodong; Deangelis, Gregory C; Angelaki, Dora E (2013) Diverse spatial reference frames of vestibular signals in parietal cortex. Neuron 80:1310-21
Chen, Xiaodong; DeAngelis, Gregory C; Angelaki, Dora E (2013) Eye-centered representation of optic flow tuning in the ventral intraparietal area. J Neurosci 33:18574-82

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