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INTRODUCTION: During observation of the ambiguous Necker cube, our perception suddenly reverses between two about equally possible 3D interpretations. During passive observation, perceptual reversals seem to be sudden and spontaneous. A number of theoretical approaches postulate destabilization of neural representations as a pre-condition for reversals of ambiguous figures. In the current study, we focused on possible Electroencephalogram (EEG) correlates of perceptual destabilization, that may allow prediction of an upcoming perceptual reversal. METHODS: We presented ambiguous Necker cube stimuli in an onset-paradigm and investigated the neural processes underlying endogenous reversals as compared to perceptual stability across two consecutive stimulus presentations. In a separate experimental condition, disambiguated cube variants were alternated randomly, to exogenously induce perceptual reversals. We compared the EEG immediately before and during endogenous Necker cube reversals with corresponding time windows during exogenously induced perceptual reversals of disambiguated cube variants. RESULTS: For the ambiguous Necker cube stimuli, we found the earliest differences in the EEG between reversal trials and stability trials already 1 s before a reversal occurred, at bilateral parietal electrodes. The traces remained similar until approximately 1100 ms before a perceived reversal, became maximally different at around 890 ms (p = 7.59 × 10(-6), Cohen's d = 1.35) and remained different until shortly before offset of the stimulus preceding the reversal. No such patterns were found in the case of disambiguated cube variants. DISCUSSION: The identified EEG effects may reflect destabilized states of neural representations, related to destabilized perceptual states preceding a perceptual reversal. They further indicate that spontaneous Necker cube reversals are most probably not as spontaneous as generally thought. Rather, the destabilization may occur over a longer time scale, at least 1 s before a reversal event, despite the reversal event as such being perceived as spontaneous by the viewer.
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The Necker-Zeno model of bistable perception provides a formal relation between the average duration of meta-stable percepts (dwell times T) of ambiguous figures and two other basic time scales (t(0), ΔT) underlying cognitive processing. The model predicts that dwell times T covary with t(0), ΔT or both. We tested this prediction by exploiting that observers, in particular experienced meditators, can volitionally control dwell times T. Meditators and non-meditators observed bistable Necker cubes either passively or tried to hold their current percept. The latencies of a centro-parietal event-related potential (CPP) were recorded as a physiological correlate of t(0). Dwell times T and the CPP latencies, correlated with t(0), differed between conditions and observer groups, while ΔT remained constant in the range predicted by the model. The covariation of CPP latencies and dwell times, as well as their quadratic functional dependence extends previous psychophysical confirmation of the Necker-Zeno model to psychophysiological measures.
Erkunden
Team
Eintragsart
Sprache
- Englisch (2)
Thema
- Necker cube
- Adult (1)
- Ambiguous figures (1)
- ambiguous figures (1)
- Bistable perception (1)
- bistable perception (1)
- Cerebral Cortex/*physiology (1)
- Cognitive time scales (1)
- EEG (2)
- Electroencephalography (1)
- Event-related potentials (1)
- Event-Related Potentials, P300/physiology (1)
- Evoked Potentials/*physiology (1)
- Female (1)
- Humans (1)
- Male (1)
- *Meditation (1)
- Meditation (1)
- Middle Aged (1)
- *Models, Theoretical (1)
- Necker-Zeno model (1)
- Pattern Recognition, Visual/*physiology (1)
- perceptual reversals (1)
- Psychomotor Performance/*physiology (1)
- Quantum cognition (1)
- Space Perception/*physiology (1)