Event Abstract Back to Event Reading the mind's eye: online detection of visual imagery in the inferior temporal lobe, physiology and BCI applications Carlos M. Hamame1*, Juan R. Vidal1, Tomas Ossandon1, Karim Jerbi1, Sarang S. Dalal1, Lorella Minnotti2, Olivier Bertrand1, Philippe Kahane2 and Jean-Philippe Lachaux1 1 Brain Dynamics and Cognition, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, INSERM U1028, France 2 Neurology Department, Grenoble University Hospital, INSERM U836, Grenoble Neuroscience Institute, University Joseph Fourier, Spain Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology can offer patients with severe motor impairments an opportunity to improve the communication and interaction with their environment. The voluntary control of attention to stabilize a given mental process is the most effective cognitive strategy for operating BCIs. Here we tested the potential of visual imagery as a way to move forward novel BCI systems that could convert 'visual thoughts into actions'. We analyzed intracerebral EEG recordings from the left inferior temporal lobe of an epileptic patient during working memory tasks and mental imagery. We found that high frequency gamma-band activity [50 Hz-150 Hz] in the inferior temporal gyrus increased with memory load only during visuo-spatial, but not verbal, working memory. Using a real-time set-up to measure and visualize gamma-band activity online- BrainTV- we found a systematic activity increase in that site when the patient was thinking about a letter (visual imagery), but no when she was perceiving letters (visual stimulation). In contrast, only 7 mm more medially, neurons located in the fusiform gyrus exhibited a complete opposite pattern, responding to visually presented letters, but no during imagery or visuo-spatial working memory maintenance. We conclude that neural networks supporting imagination of a visual element are not necessarily the same underlying perception of that element. Additionally, we present evidences that gamma-band activity in the inferior temporal lobe can be used for novel BCIs controlled by visual thoughts and also as a direct measure of the efficiency of top-down attention control over visual areas. Keywords: EEG, Intra-cranial Electrophysiology Conference: XI International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (ICON XI), Palma, Mallorca, Spain, 25 Sep - 29 Sep, 2011. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: Abstracts Citation: Hamame CM, Vidal JR, Ossandon T, Jerbi K, Dalal SS, Minnotti L, Bertrand O, Kahane P and Lachaux J (2011). Reading the mind's eye: online detection of visual imagery in the inferior temporal lobe, physiology and BCI applications. Conference Abstract: XI International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (ICON XI). doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2011.207.00057 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 15 Nov 2011; Published Online: 25 Nov 2011. * Correspondence: Dr. Carlos M Hamame, Brain Dynamics and Cognition, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, INSERM U1028, Lyon, France, carlos.hamame@inserm.fr Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Carlos M Hamame Juan R Vidal Tomas Ossandon Karim Jerbi Sarang S Dalal Lorella Minnotti Olivier Bertrand Philippe Kahane Jean-Philippe Lachaux Google Carlos M Hamame Juan R Vidal Tomas Ossandon Karim Jerbi Sarang S Dalal Lorella Minnotti Olivier Bertrand Philippe Kahane Jean-Philippe Lachaux Google Scholar Carlos M Hamame Juan R Vidal Tomas Ossandon Karim Jerbi Sarang S Dalal Lorella Minnotti Olivier Bertrand Philippe Kahane Jean-Philippe Lachaux PubMed Carlos M Hamame Juan R Vidal Tomas Ossandon Karim Jerbi Sarang S Dalal Lorella Minnotti Olivier Bertrand Philippe Kahane Jean-Philippe Lachaux Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.