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A Role of Eye Vergence in Covert Attention

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  • Maria Solé Puig
  • Laura Pérez Zapata
  • J Antonio Aznar-Casanova
  • Hans Supèr

Abstract

Covert spatial attention produces biases in perceptual and neural responses in the absence of overt orienting movements. The neural mechanism that gives rise to these effects is poorly understood. Here we report the relation between fixational eye movements, namely eye vergence, and covert attention. Visual stimuli modulate the angle of eye vergence as a function of their ability to capture attention. This illustrates the relation between eye vergence and bottom-up attention. In visual and auditory cue/no-cue paradigms, the angle of vergence is greater in the cue condition than in the no-cue condition. This shows a top-down attention component. In conclusion, observations reveal a close link between covert attention and modulation in eye vergence during eye fixation. Our study suggests a basis for the use of eye vergence as a tool for measuring attention and may provide new insights into attention and perceptual disorders.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Solé Puig & Laura Pérez Zapata & J Antonio Aznar-Casanova & Hans Supèr, 2013. "A Role of Eye Vergence in Covert Attention," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(1), pages 1-10, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0052955
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052955
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. B. G. Cumming & A. J. Parker, 1997. "Responses of primary visual cortical neurons to binocular disparity without depth perception," Nature, Nature, vol. 389(6648), pages 280-283, September.
    2. Prakash Kara & Jamie D. Boyd, 2009. "A micro-architecture for binocular disparity and ocular dominance in visual cortex," Nature, Nature, vol. 458(7238), pages 627-631, April.
    3. Paul D. Gamlin & Kyunghee Yoon, 2000. "An area for vergence eye movement in primate frontal cortex," Nature, Nature, vol. 407(6807), pages 1003-1007, October.
    4. G. S. Masson & C. Busettini & F. A. Miles, 1997. "Vergence eye movements in response to binocular disparity without depth perception," Nature, Nature, vol. 389(6648), pages 283-286, September.
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