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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2022.01.25.477714

Neural Basis of The Double Drift Illusion

Steinberg, N. J.·Roth, Z. N.·Movshon, J. A.·Merriam, E.
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Abstract

In the "double-drift" illusion, local motion within a window moving in the periphery alters the windows perceived path. The illusion is strong even when the eyes track a target whose motion matches the window so that the stimulus remains stable on the retina. This implies that the illusion involves the integration of retinal signals with non-retinal eye-movement signals. To identify where in the brain this integration occurs, we measured BOLD fMRI responses in visual cortex while subjects experienced the double drift illusion. We identified a number of cortical areas that responded more strongly during the illusion, but only in area hMT+ was it possible to decode the illusory trajectory. Our results provide evidence for a perceptual representation in human visual cortex that is not linked to retinal position.

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Steinberg, N. J., Roth, Z. N., Movshon, J. A., Merriam, E.. 2022-01-27. Neural Basis of The Double Drift Illusion. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.01.25.477714

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