Decoding the influence of anticipatory states on visual perception in the presence of temporal distractors

Freek Van Ede,Sammi R Chekroud,Mark G Stokes,Anna C Nobre

doi:10.1038/s41467-018-03960-z

Freek Van Ede, Sammi R Chekroud + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-03960-z

Copy DOI

Abstract

Anticipatory states help prioritise relevant perceptual targets over competing distractor stimuli and amplify early brain responses to these targets. Here we combine electroencephalography recordings in humans with multivariate stimulus decoding to address whether anticipation also increases the amount of target identity information contained in these responses, and to ask how targets are prioritised over distractors when these compete in time. We show that anticipatory cues not only boost visual target representations, but also delay the interference on these target representations caused by temporally adjacent distractor stimuli—possibly marking a protective window reserved for high-fidelity target processing. Enhanced target decoding and distractor resistance are further predicted by the attenuation of posterior 8–14 Hz alpha oscillations. These findings thus reveal multiple mechanisms by which anticipatory states help prioritise targets from temporally competing distractors, and they highlight the potential of non-invasive multivariate electrophysiology to track cognitive influences on perception in temporally crowded contexts.

Highlights

Anticipatory states help prioritise relevant perceptual targets over competing distractor stimuli and amplify early brain responses to these targets
By combining stimulus orientation decoding analyses with high temporal resolution EEG measurements, we reveal that anticipatory states enhance neuronal target representations, and delay the interference on these target representations caused by temporally adjacent distractors, thereby possibly providing a protected temporal window for extended target analysis
We considered six scenarios by which anticipatory states may help prioritise relevant over irrelevant sensory inputs that compete in time (Fig. 3)

Summary

Introduction

Anticipatory states help prioritise relevant perceptual targets over competing distractor stimuli and amplify early brain responses to these targets. While the neural mechanisms that prioritise inputs that compete in space have received ample scientific investigation[16,17,18,19], the mechanisms by which the human brain accomplishes such prioritisation for inputs that compete in time remains far less well understood This is in part because conventional human neuroimaging approaches have been hampered either by insufficient temporal resolution (as with functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging; fMRI), or by the presence of additive responses when stimuli occur in fast temporal succession (as with classical event-related-potential (ERP) analyses). By combining stimulus orientation decoding analyses with high temporal resolution EEG measurements, we reveal that anticipatory states enhance neuronal target representations, and delay the interference on these target representations caused by temporally adjacent distractors, thereby possibly providing a protected temporal window for extended target analysis

Methods

Results

Conclusion