Repeated Contextual Search Cues Lead to Reduced BOLD-Onset Times in Early Visual and Left Inferior Frontal Cortex

Stefan Pollmann,Angela A Manginelli

doi:10.2174/1874440001004010009

Abstract

Repetition of context can facilitate search for targets in distractor-filled displays. This contextual cueing goes along with enhanced event-related brain potentials in visual cortex, as previously demonstrated with depth electrodes in the human brain. However, modulation of the BOLD-response in striate and peristriate cortices has, to our knowledge, not yet been reported as a consequence of contextual cueing. Here, we report a selective reduction of the BOLD onset latency for repeated distractor configurations in these areas. In addition, the same onset latency reduction was observed in posterior inferior frontal cortex, a potential source area for feedback signals to early visual areas.

Highlights

Attending to a particular part of the environment can be guided by regularities in the environment, even if they are not consciously perceived
To name a few: contextual cueing was found for form and dynamic cueing [2], both absolute position and relative item location can contribute to the effect, which survives shifts and size changes [3]
The adaptive value of contextual cueing is supported by its long duration; facilitation of search performance by contextual cueing has been observed over periods as long as one week after training [4]

Summary

Introduction

Attending to a particular part of the environment can be guided by regularities in the environment, even if they are not consciously perceived To exploit such regularities is clearly adaptive, because it enables us to find stimuli more efficiently than by a random spatial search. Repetition of the spatial layout of a scene can facilitate finding the target location This has consistently been reported in investigations of the contextual cueing effect (first reported by Chun & Jiang [1]). The core finding is that target detection is facilitated if the spatial arrangement of distractor stimuli is repeated across experimental blocks compared to search for the same target in a new distractor arrangement This effect occurs participants are unable to recognize the distractor repetition. The adaptive value of contextual cueing is supported by its long duration; facilitation of search performance by contextual cueing has been observed over periods as long as one week after training [4]

Methods

Results

Conclusion