Scientists have uncovered the mechanism of coordination of visual signals in the brain

Sometimes the brain receives visual information that may contradict each other: for example, a person sees a face-like shape in the dark, or for a moment mistakes an orange for an apple. Researchers from the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, the University of Cambridge and University College London have found out how different areas of the visual cortex can coordinate such signals. About how the brain forms a unified perception in the face of conflicting information, see the "Izvestia" material.

How the brain processes visual information

The researchers studied two adjacent areas of the visual cortex — the primary visual cortex (V1) and the lateromedial region (LM). They receive different streams of sensory information, but there is a two-way communication between them. Therefore, visual information processing is not limited to the work of one area of the brain.

The work was published in the journal Nature Neuroscience. The researchers wanted to understand how specialized areas of the brain that receive different signals still form a coherent perception. To do this, the scientists studied the activity of neurons in seven mice. In total, they recorded the activity of 194 V1 and 228 LM neurons, and then used the data obtained to create models of both areas and their interactions.

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What happened during the experiment

First, the mice were taught to distinguish between two visual patterns tilted at opposite angles. The rodents were rewarded for choosing only one of the orientations. Then, during the task, the researchers briefly turned off one of the two areas of the visual cortex — V1 or LM. This allowed us to observe how the work of one area changes when its partner stops functioning.

Based on the recorded activity, the scientists created an artificial neural network that represented the interaction of V1 and LM. Using the model, they could simulate the response of this circuit in situations where the work of individual neurons changed. So the researchers were able to compare the activity of the two areas and determine what happens when their signals match or diverge.

How the brain comes to a common decision

The experiment showed that the mismatched patterns of activity between the two areas quickly disappeared. On the contrary, when V1 and LM activity corresponded to each other, this pattern persisted longer.

According to scientists, two-way connections between areas over time help eliminate inconsistencies and maintain a consistent activity option. Thus, different areas of the visual cortex do not just independently process incoming information — they constantly interact with each other, and their activity can come to a consistent state.

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Can such a mechanism work outside of sight?

The study concerned only two areas of the visual cortex, so scientists have not yet claimed that the same principle applies to the entire brain. The next step for the research team will be to check whether a similar mechanism works between other areas of the neocortex. In particular, scientists want to find out whether the brain is able to use a similar way of coordinating information when signals from different sensory organs contradict each other. As an example, researchers cite a situation where what a person sees does not match what they hear.

The authors also suggest that the principle of dynamic consensus formation may help to better understand how individual specialized areas of the brain are combined into a single system. In addition, such a mechanism could potentially suggest new approaches to creating artificial intelligence systems that also have to reconcile conflicting information.

At the same time, the researchers emphasize that working with two areas of the visual cortex is only the first step towards understanding how different parts of the brain combine separate streams of information into a holistic perception.