Search bioRxiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/bioRxiv

bioRxiv · 10.1101/867374

Adaptation to transients disrupts spatial coherence in binocular rivalry

Naber, M.·Stuit, S.·De Kloe, Y.·Van der Stigchel, S.·Paffen, C. L. E.
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

When the two eyes are presented with incompatible images, the visual system fails to create a single, fused, coherent percept. Instead, it creates an ongoing alternation between each eyes image; a phenomenon dubbed binocular rivalry (BR). Such alternations in awareness are separated by brief, intermediate states during which a spatially mixed (incoherent) pattern of both images is perceived. A recent study proposed that the precedence of mixed percepts positively correlates with the degree of adaptation to conflict between the eyes. However, it neglected the role of visual transients, which covaried with the degree of conflict in the stimulus design. We here study whether the presence of visual transients drive adaptation to interocular conflict and explain incidence rates of spatially incoherent BR. Across three experiments we created several adaptation conditions in which we systematically varied the frequency of transients and the degree of conflict between the eyes. Transients consisted of grating orientation reversals, blanks, and plaids. The results showed that the pattern of variations in the fractions mixed percepts across conditions was best explained by variations in the frequency of visual transients, rather than the degree of conflict between the eyes. We propose that the prolonged presentation of transients to both eyes evokes a chain of events consisting of (1) the exogenous allocation of attention to both images, (2) the increase in perceptual dominance of both rivalling images, (3) the speed up of adaptation of interocular suppression, and eventually (4) the facilitation of mixed perception during BR after adaptation. Author summaryWhen one eye is presented with an image that is distinct from the image presented to the other eye, the eyes start to rival and suppress each others image. Binocular rivalry leads to perceptual alternations between the images of each eye, during which only one of the images is perceived at a time. However, when the eyes exert weak and shallow mutual suppression, observers tend to perceive both images intermixed more often. Here we designed an experiment and a model to investigate how stereoscopic stimuli can be designed to alter the degree of interocular suppression. We find that prolonged and repeated observations of strong visual transients, such as sudden changes in contrast, can facilitate the adaptation to suppression between the eyes, resulting in that observers report more mixed percepts. This novel finding is relevant to virtual- and augmented reality for which it is crucial to design stereoscopic environments in which binocular rivalry is limited.

Source connections

Explore related subjects

neurosciencePreprint

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Naber, M., Stuit, S., De Kloe, Y., Van der Stigchel, S., Paffen, C. L. E.. 2019-12-06. Adaptation to transients disrupts spatial coherence in binocular rivalry. https://doi.org/10.1101/867374

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related preprints

bioRxiv2026

Distinguishing evidence accumulation from choice confidence in neural signatures of perceptual decision making

Human electrophysiology research has identified the centro-parietal positivity (CPP) as an apparent neural correlate of sensory evidence accumulation during perceptual decision-making. The CPP has also been shown to closely scale with subjective confidence. Coupled with the fact of its domain-generality and lack of choice selectivity, this observation raises the possibility that the CPP might in fact trace subjective confidence rather than cumulative evidence, two quantities that are closely correlated in most experiments. To disentangle confidence from cumulative evidence, we used predictive cues with 80% validity to manipulate prior expectations of participants during a contrast discrimination task while recording electroencephalography (EEG). At the time of decision termination, confidence is expected to reach a higher level for validly cued versus invalidly cued choices, whereas the opposite would be expected of a cumulative evidence signal due to biased decision starting points. As expected, valid cues led to faster, more accurate and more confident responses compared to invalid and neutral cues. At the neural level, cues produced systematic increases in preparation of the expected action prior to evidence onset as indexed by premotor mu/beta activity, consistent with cue-biased criterion adjustments. The pre-response CPP amplitude was significantly reduced for validly cued choices and the effect remained even when matching for confidence. Together these findings suggest that the CPP is not a direct read-out of subjective confidence, but an evidence accumulation signal that contributes to both decision formation and confidence estimation.

neuroscience↗
bioRxiv2026

A Neurocompliant Ionic Conductive Hydrogel Orchestrates Glial and Vascular Remodeling to Mitigate Traumatic Brain Injury

Developing conductive scaffolds for neural regeneration is often hindered by the cytotoxicity and mechanical mismatch inherent to conventional electronic fillers. Here, we report an ultrasoft ionically conductive hydrogel engineered by grafting choline-based bioionic liquids (BIL) onto fish gelatin (FiBGel). Systematic optimization yields brain-mimetic conductivity (0.25-0.68 S/m), elastic moduli (0.6-0.9 kPa), and physiological water content (72-81%). In 3D culture, the matrix drives spontaneous neurogenesis, achieving ~90% MAP2+ neurons with robust calcium signaling, while concurrently supporting endothelial network formation. We report the first intracerebral administration of a BIL hydrogel, demonstrating remarkable biocompatibility and immunomodulation. In a traumatic brain injury model, a single FiBGel dose halves reactive astrogliosis, enhances cortical revascularization, and limits lesion cavity expansion. Leveraging an FDA-recognized micronutrient, FiBGel offers a translatable strategy that integrates neuromechanics, conductivity, immune modulation, and vascular support within one injectable scaffold for minimally invasive treatment of brain injuries.

neuroscience↗
bioRxiv2026

Changes in anterior cingulate connectivity associated with response to antidepressant treatment for major depressive disorder

Background: Resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) involving the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the hippocampal formation has been implicated in major depressive disorder (MDD) and antidepressant response. However, it remains unclear whether connectivity changes in distinct ACC subdivisions and hippocampal formation reflect general antidepressant effects or are specifically associated with clinical improvement. Methods: Forty-one, unmedicated adults with MDD underwent functional MRI before and after 8 weeks of sertraline or bupropion treatment. Seed-based rsFC analyses examined subgenual ACC (sgACC), pregenual ACC (pgACC), dorsal ACC (dACC), and hippocampal formation connectivity. Linear mixed-effects models tested whether connectivity change was associated with treatment response, remission, and dimensional improvement in depressive symptoms. Results: Thirty individuals (73.2%) responded to treatment and 26 (63.4%) achieved remission. Overall, rsFC decreased pre- to post-treatment between (1) dACC and pgACC (but not sgACC and hippocampal formation) and (2) cortical regions primarily involving default mode and frontoparietal networks. When considering treatment response, differences in sgACC and pgACC connectivity with temporal and inferior frontal regions emerged (increased in responders vs. decreased in non-responders). Remission was similarly associated with increased sgACC connectivity with temporal and prefrontal regions, and increased sgACC connectivity with temporal cortical regions related to greater reductions in depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Antidepressant treatment was associated with distinct patterns of ACC connectivity change, with general reductions in dorsal and pregenual connectivity but increases in subgenual and pregenual connectivity associated with favorable clinical outcomes. Findings suggest that changes in sgACC/pgACC connectivity are particularly relevant to antidepressant treatment response. Keywords: Major depressive disorder; Resting-state functional connectivity; Anterior cingulate cortex; Antidepressant treatment; Treatment response; Subgenual anterior cingulate cortex.

neuroscience↗