Biology subjects

Pellicano, E.

Publications and source records attributed to Pellicano, E..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Vividness of mental imagery is a broad trait measure of internally generated visual experiences

Research on mental visual imagery typically relies on vividness ratings. However, vividness is ill-defined as it lacks an objective reference. Here, we present survey results that suggest vividness is nevertheless a robust measure. It explains individual differences of a broad range of subjective experiences, from the detail of mental imagery, the propensity to report having other internally generated visual experiences, and the vividness of visual dreams. Critically, simple vividness ratings can replace the protracted questionnaires commonly used for this purpose and reduce methodological issues with these instruments. We further find that vividness is closely linked with the experience of "seeing" mental images or projecting them into the external world. People who report seeing mental images with their eyes shut are also more likely to experience externally projected imagery. Nevertheless, many people report having mental depictions but without seeing. Overall, our results indicate we should redefine visual aphantasia to distinguish individuals with faint or unseen visual images from those completely lacking a pictorial representation.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

Mental Rotation is a weak measure of the propensity to visualise.

There is increasing evidence of substantial differences in peoples capacity to voluntarily visualise - with some (Congenital Aphants) asserting they cannot visualise at all. Its been suggested that Congenital Aphants might be mistaken about their inability, as some have performed similarly on tasks purported to measure imagery - including the mental rotation task, where people decide if objects depicted from different viewpoints are the same or different. We examined how the vividness of peoples imagery is related to performance on a mental rotation task. People also reported on their response strategies. Mental rotation was an overall superior response strategy relative to non-visualising. However, the vividness of peoples imagery was only weakly associated with viewpoint contingent changes in task performance, and it did not predict changes in reliance on mental rotation as a response strategy. Overall, our data suggest performance on mental rotation tasks is a weak measure of peoples propensity to visualise.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2022

Hearing the world differently: Examining predictive coding accounts of autism using MEG

Predictive coding accounts of autism suggest that autistic perception is characterised by divergent precision weighting. The precise nature of this divergence, however, is debated. Here, we sought to disentangle competing predictive coding accounts of autism by testing them at a neural level. To this end, we used paediatric magnetoencephalography to record the auditory evoked fields of 10 young autistic children (M = 6.2 years, range = 4.2- 8.6) and 63 neurotypical children (M = 6.1 years, range = 3.0- 9.8) as they listened to a roving auditory oddball paradigm. For each participant, we subtracted the evoked responses to the standard from the deviant pure tones to calculate the mismatch field MMF: an electrophysiological component that is widely interpreted as a neural signature of predictive coding. We found no significant differences between the two groups MMF amplitudes, p > .05. An exploratory analysis indicated larger MMF amplitudes in most of the autistic children compared to their average-age-matched neurotypical counterparts, p < .05. We interpret these findings as preliminary evidence in support of the inflexibly high prior and sensory precision account, and against the inflexibly low prior-relative-to-sensory precision accounts of autistic perception. HighlightsO_LIWe used paediatric MEG to compare autistic and neurotypical MMFs amplitudes. C_LIO_LIExploratory case-cohort analyses revealed mostly larger MMFs in autistic cases. C_LIO_LILarger MMFs support the notion of precise, inflexible prediction errors in autism. C_LI

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2022

Investigating Predictive Coding in Younger and Older Children Using MEG and a Multi-Feature Auditory Oddball Paradigm

There is mounting evidence for predictive coding theory from computational, neuroimaging, and psychological research. However there remains a lack of research exploring how predictive brain function develops across childhood. To address this gap, we used paediatric magnetoencephalography (MEG) to record the evoked magnetic fields of 18 younger children (M = 4.1 years) and 19 older children (M = 6.2 years) as they listened to a 12-minute auditory oddball paradigm. For each child, we computed a mismatch field MMF: an electrophysiological component that is widely interpreted as a neural signature of predictive coding. Consistent with our hypotheses, the older children showed significantly larger MMF amplitudes relative to the younger children. Furthermore, the older children showed a significantly larger MMF amplitude in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG; 0.312 to 0.33 s) relative to the younger children, p < .05. These findings support the idea that predictive brain function develops during childhood, with increasing involvement of the frontal cortex in response to prediction errors. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the brain function underpinning child cognitive development. HighlightsO_LIThis is the first paediatric MEG study to examine the sources underlying the MMF. C_LIO_LIOlder children showed larger MMF amplitudes in the right inferior frontal gyrus. C_LIO_LIResults support the idea that predictive brain function develops during childhood. C_LI

neuroscience↗