Suppressing feedback signals to visual cortex abolishes attentional modulation

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Debes, Samantha R.; Dragoi, Valentin
• 署名单位: University of Texas System; University of Texas Health Science Center Houston; Rice University
• 刊物名称: SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0036-12958
• DOI: 10.1126/science.ade1855
• 发表日期: 2023-02-03
• 页码: 484-+
• 关键词: cortical areas; spatial attention; neuronal synchronization; striate cortex; v1; v4; connections; microstimulation; feedforward; projections

摘要

Attention improves perception by enhancing the neural encoding of sensory information. A long-standing hypothesis is that cortical feedback projections carry top-down signals to influence sensory coding. However, this hypothesis has never been tested to establish causal links. We used viral tools to label feedback connections from cortical area V4 targeting early visual cortex (area V1). While monkeys performed a visual-spatial attention task, inactivating feedback axonal terminals in V1 without altering local intracortical and feedforward inputs reduced the response gain of single cells and impaired the accuracy of neural populations for encoding external stimuli. These effects are primarily manifested in the superficial layers of V1 and propagate to downstream area V4. Attention enhances sensory coding across visual cortex by specifically altering the strength of corticocortical feedback in a layer-dependent manner.