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Numerosity tuning in human association cortices and local image contrast representations in early visual cortex

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Listed:
  • Jacob M. Paul

    (Utrecht University
    University of Melbourne)

  • Martijn Ackooij

    (Utrecht University)

  • Tuomas C. Cate

    (Utrecht University)

  • Ben M. Harvey

    (Utrecht University)

Abstract

Human early visual cortex response amplitudes monotonically increase with numerosity (object number), regardless of object size and spacing. However, numerosity is typically considered a high-level visual or cognitive feature, while early visual responses follow image contrast in the spatial frequency domain. We find that, at fixed contrast, aggregate Fourier power (at all orientations and spatial frequencies) follows numerosity closely but nonlinearly with little effect of object size, spacing or shape. This would allow straightforward numerosity estimation from spatial frequency domain image representations. Using 7T fMRI, we show monotonic responses originate in primary visual cortex (V1) at the stimulus’s retinotopic location. Responses here and in neural network models follow aggregate Fourier power more closely than numerosity. Truly numerosity tuned responses emerge after lateral occipital cortex and are independent of retinotopic location. We propose numerosity’s straightforward perception and neural responses may result from the pervasive spatial frequency analyses of early visual processing.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacob M. Paul & Martijn Ackooij & Tuomas C. Cate & Ben M. Harvey, 2022. "Numerosity tuning in human association cortices and local image contrast representations in early visual cortex," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-29030-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29030-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ben M. Harvey & Serge O. Dumoulin, 2017. "A network of topographic numerosity maps in human association cortex," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 1(2), pages 1-9, February.
    2. Franklin Satterthwaite, 1941. "Synthesis of variance," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 6(5), pages 309-316, October.
    3. Guido Marco Cicchini & Giovanni Anobile & David C. Burr, 2016. "Spontaneous perception of numerosity in humans," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-7, November.
    4. Kendrick N. Kay & Thomas Naselaris & Ryan J. Prenger & Jack L. Gallant, 2008. "Identifying natural images from human brain activity," Nature, Nature, vol. 452(7185), pages 352-355, March.
    5. Shir Hofstetter & Yuxuan Cai & Ben M. Harvey & Serge O. Dumoulin, 2021. "Topographic maps representing haptic numerosity reveals distinct sensory representations in supramodal networks," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, December.
    6. Titia Gebuis & Bert Reynvoet, 2012. "The Role of Visual Information in Numerosity Estimation," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(5), pages 1-5, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sébastien Czajko & Alexandre Vignaud & Evelyn Eger, 2024. "Human brain representations of internally generated outcomes of approximate calculation revealed by ultra-high-field brain imaging," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Evi Hendrikx & Jacob M. Paul & Martijn Ackooij & Nathan Stoep & Ben M. Harvey, 2022. "Visual timing-tuned responses in human association cortices and response dynamics in early visual cortex," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-19, December.

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