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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2025.07.01.662576

Multiplexed BOLD oscillations reveal the interplay of normalization and attention

Rafeh, R. W.·Ngo, G. N.·Muller, L. E.·Khan, A. R.·Menon, R. S.·Mur, M.·Schmitz, T. W.
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Abstract

Monkey electrophysiology has linked attention to divisive normalization, yet noninvasive evidence in humans remains limited. We use frequency-tagged fMRI to isolate visual cortical populations that simultaneously encode multiple competing inputs. We show that responses of these sites are suppressed during inattention and enhanced during attention - consistent with the normalization model, which predicts that attention selectively disinhibits competing inputs - offering a noninvasive translational bridge to study fine-grained computations underlying attentional selection.

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Rafeh, R. W., Ngo, G. N., Muller, L. E., Khan, A. R., Menon, R. S., Mur, M., Schmitz, T. W.. 2025-07-04. Multiplexed BOLD oscillations reveal the interplay of normalization and attention. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.07.01.662576

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