Abstract
Several studies have shown that eye movements (EM) are functionally involved in visual imagery. In this study we investigate the impact of a simulated homonymous hemianopia paradigm (SH) with and without foveal masking on scanpath eye movements during visual mental imagery. EM of twenty subjects were recorded under SH condition during viewing and subsequent visual imagery of complex pictures. Using evaluated string editing methods viewing and imagery scanpaths were compared. Our results show that scanpath EM are involved in visual mental imagery and reflect the picture content even under SH. In contrast, additional foveal masking significantly reduces the similarity between viewing and imagery scanpath. This points toward a detrimental effect of foveal masking on subsequent visual imagery performance.
Highlights
Eye movements (EM) are essential to perceive our visual environment
In this study we investigate the impact of a simulated homonymous hemianopia paradigm (SH) with and without foveal masking on scanpath eye movements during visual mental imagery
Using string editing methods for scanpath evaluation we found high similarity values between viewing and visual imagery throughout all our scanpath analyses
Summary
Eye movements (EM) are essential to perceive our visual environment. Visual exploration consists of succession of saccades that depend on both external visual or “bottom up” stimuli and cognitive “top down” control. Yarbus revealed in 1967 that during visual perception EM are directed to the most informative features of an image or scene Following this approach Noton and Stark introduced the term “scanpath” - defined as repetitive sequence of fixations and saccades (Figure 1a). The foveal regions of interest (ROI) are sequentially scanned by a string of fixations and shifted by a string of saccades seeking the key features of an actual inspected scene or image (”feature ring hypothesis“; Figure 1a). Based upon this model recognition of objects works through a “top down” activated step-by-step scanning that corresponds to the internal representation. The functional mechanisms and neuronal correlates of visual imagery are discussed controversially (Bartolomeo, 2008)
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