Emerging category representation in the visual forebrain hierarchy of pigeons (Columba livia).

Emerging category representation in the visual forebrain hierarchy of pigeons (Columba livia).
Behav Brain Res. 2018 Jun 06;:
Authors: Azizi AH, Pusch R, Koenen C, Klatt S, Bröcker F, Thiele S, Kellermann J, Güntürkün O, Cheng S
Abstract
Recognizing and categorizing visual stimuli are cognitive functions vital for survival, and an important feature of visual systems in primates as well as in birds. Visual stimuli are processed along the ventral visual pathway. At every stage in the hierarchy, neurons respond selectively to more complex features, transforming the population representation of the stimuli. It is therefore easier to read-out category information in higher visual areas. While explicit category representations have been observed in the primate brain, less is known on equivalent processes in the avian brain. Even though their brain anatomies are radically different, it has been hypothesized that visual object representations are comparable across mammals and birds. In the present study, we investigated category representations in the pigeon visual forebrain using recordings from single cells responding to photographs of real-world objects. Using a linear classifier, we found that the population activity in the visual associative area mesopallium ventrolaterale (MVL) distinguishes between animate and inanimate objects, although this distinction is not required by the task. By contrast, a population of cells in the entopa...

Source: Behavioural Brain Research - June 6, 2018 Category: Neurology Authors: Azizi AH, Pusch R, Koenen C, Klatt S, Bröcker F, Thiele S, Kellermann J, Güntürkün O, Cheng S Tags: Behav Brain Res Source Type: research