NeuroReport_Neural mechanisms of attentional modulation of perceptual grouping by collinearity

VISION, CENTRAL NEUROREPORT

Neural mechanisms of attentional modulation of
perceptual grouping by collinearity
Yanhong Wu, Jun Chen and Shihui HanCA

Department of Psychology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PR China
CA
Corresponding Author: shan@pku.edu.cn

Received 4 February 2005; accepted 22 February 2005

Psychophysical research showed that detection of an oriented vi- at 48^72 ms when collinear patches were congruent rather
sual target is facilitated when the target is grouped with collinear than incongruent with the cued orientation. A negative shift be-
visual £ankers. However, this collinear grouping e¡ect is evident tween 260 and 380 ms was observed over the occipital^ parietal
only when the £ankers are attended. This study examined neural areas in the congruent rather than incongruent conditions.
mechanisms underlying the interaction between attention and The long-latency e¡ect, however, was evident only when the colli-
grouping by collinearity. Event-related potentials were recorded near patches were allocated along 451.The event-related potential
from study participants who judged whether oriented Gabor results suggest that the interaction between attention and
patches (i.e. visual elements consisting of a sinusoidal contrast collinear grouping may take place as early as in the primary
modulation convolved with a Gaussian function) along the cued or- visual cortex and is independent of global orientations of
ientation were collinear or orthogonal. Event-related potentials perceptual groups. NeuroReport 16:567^570 2005 Lippincott
c
showed an enhanced negativity over the posterior occipital cortex Williams Wilkins.

Key words: Attention; Collinear grouping; Event-related potential; Orientation

INTRODUCTION attention and perceptual grouping in the human primary
Our perception of an ordered visual world is based on visual cortex [3]. Neural activities in the primary visual
grouping processes that integrate local elements into global cortex around the calcarine sulcus associated with proxi-
configurations. It is widely accepted that such grouping mity grouping are strengthened when stimulus arrays are of
operations occur at early stages of visual perception [1]. high task relevance and fall inside attended areas. Similarly,
Human neural correlates of grouping processes have been a recent psychophysical study showed that collinear
investigated in neuroimaging studies. For example, event- flankers facilitate the detection of a central Gabor patch
related brain potential (ERP) studies found that perceptual when flankers are attended but not when flankers are
grouping defined by proximity (i.e. integration of spatially ignored [8]. This lateral interaction possibly reflects atten-
close objects into a whole) results in enhanced neural tional modulation of flanker-target grouping defined by
activities at 100 ms after sensory stimulation [2]. Functional collinearity. The current study investigated neural mechan-
magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies further identi- isms underlying the interaction between attention and
fied generators of such early grouping activity in the human grouping by collinearity using a cueing paradigm similar
primary visual cortex [3]. Similarly, there has been evidence to that used in prior psychophysical experiments [8,9].
for the engagement of the primary visual cortex in the Study participants were cued to allocate their attention
grouping process defined by collinearity (i.e. integration of along a specific orientation (451 or 1351) before they were
oriented visual elements of which orientations match the shown a stimulus array of Gabor patches, as illustrated in
global orientation of a virtual line drawn through all Fig. 1. Neural mechanisms underlying attentional modula-
elements). Neuronal responses in monkeys’ primary visual tion of grouping by collinearity were investigated by
cortex are enhanced when stimuli inside and outside the comparing ERPs with stimulus arrays between the condi-
neurons’ receptive fields form a collinear group [4]. tions when attentional allocation was either congruent or
Collinear grouping also facilitates the detection of central incongruent with the orientation of perceptual groups
Gabor patches (a Gabor patch consists of a sinusoidal formed by collinear Gabor patches.
contrast modulation convolved with a Gaussian function) in
humans [5] and is associated with an increased activity at
80–140 ms over the middle occipital area [6], suggesting the MATERIALS AND METHODS
involvement of the human primary visual cortex in collinear Study participants: Sixteen undergraduate and graduate
grouping. students (nine women, seven men; 18–27 years of age, mean
It has been argued that grouping processes may take 22 years) from Peking University participated in this study.
place independent of focal attention [7]. However, recent All participants were right-handed and had normal or
research has shown evidence for the interaction between corrected-to-normal vision. Informed consent was obtained

0959- 4965 Lippincott Williams Wilkins
c Vol 16 No 6 25 April 2005 5 67
Copyright © Lippincott Williams Wilkins. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.

NEUROREPORT Y.WU, J. CHEN AND S. HAN

from all the participants. Four of them were excluded from time windows elicited by nontargets were submitted to
data analyses because of excessive eye blinks during ANOVAs with congruency (the collinear group was
electrophysiological data recording. congruent or incongruent with the orientation along which
attention was allocated) and orientation of the collinear
Stimuli and procedure: Stimuli were displayed on a gray group (451 vs. 1351) as independent variables.
background (25.1 cd/m2). Each stimulus array consisted of a
configuration of Gabor patches (see Fig. 1). The central RESULTS
Gabor patch was orientated either 451 or 1351 and was Behavioral data: Response accuracy did not differ be-
flanked by two pairs of patches in an ‘X’ configuration. The tween ‘yes’ and ‘no’ responses [95.0% vs. 92.3%, t(11)¼1.53,
flankers were either collinear with or orthogonal with the p40.1]. Significant main effects of response type and
central Gabor patch. At a viewing distance of 120 cm, each attended orientation were observed on reaction times [F
Gabor patch had a wavelength (l) and Gaussian distribu- (1,11)¼21.44 and 7.00, respectively, both po0.03]. ‘yes’
tion equal to 0.451 of visual angle (spatial frequency, 2.2 response (728724 ms) were faster than ‘no’ response
cycles per degree), with center-to-center separation of 4.2l (810728 ms). Responses were faster when attention was
between the central Gabor and each flanker. Target stimulus allocated along 451 rather than along 1351. However, the
arrays consisted of Gabor patches with carrier wavelength interaction between response types and attended orientation
and Gaussian distribution of contrast envelope both equal to was not significant [F(1,11)¼1.13, p40.3].
0.361 of the visual angle (spatial frequency, 2.8 cycles per
degree). Center-to-center separation between center and
flanker was 3.7l. The target stimulus arrays were 70% Event-related potential data: The grand-average ERPs
smaller than the nontarget stimulus arrays. over the posterior electrodes elicited by nontarget stimuli
Participants pressed a button with the left or right index in each stimulus condition are illustrated in Fig. 1. ERPs to
finger to start each block of trials. On each trial, the fixation nontargets were characterized with a negativity peaking
cross (0.61 Â 0.61) and two peripheral bars (each with length between 40 and 80 ms (C1), which was followed by a
of 0.61) were presented for 300 ms. The two bars cued the positivity at 80–130 ms (P1) and a negativity at 140–190 ms
orientation (451 or 1351) along which the Gabor patches (N1) over the lateral occipital sites. The mean P1 and N1
were congruent or incongruent. After an interstimulus amplitudes did not vary as a function of congruency and
interval that varied randomly between 300 and 600 ms, a orientation of the collinear group (p40.05). However, there
stimulus array of Gabor patches was shown for 200 ms, was a main effect of congruency on the mean amplitudes
which was followed by a blank screen that varied randomly between 48 and 72 ms at occipital electrodes [O1:
between 1000 and 1500 ms. After two blocks of 48 trials for F(1,11)¼5.94, po0.04; O2: F(1,11)¼7.74, po0.02; OZ:
practice, each participant was presented with 10 blocks of 48 F(1,11)¼4.92, po0.05] suggesting that the mean amplitudes
trials. There were 25% of targets in each block of trials. in the time window were larger in the congruent than in the
Participants were asked to decide whether the Gabor incongruent conditions. Also, a main effect of congruency
patches in target stimuli at cued orientation were collinear on the mean amplitudes at 200–420 ms at posterior electro-
or orthogonal by pressing one of the buttons with the left or des [O1: F(1,11)¼6.21, po0.03; O2: F(1,11)¼5.51, po0.04; OZ:
right index finger. The assignment of the left and right F(1,11)¼7.24, po0.02; PZ: F(1,11)¼4.52, po0.057; P3:
finger to ‘yes’ and ‘no’ response was counterbalanced across F(1,11)¼5.33, po0.042; P4: F(1,11)¼5.25, po0.04] was ob-
participants. served, indicating that there was a negative shift in the
congruent rather than incongruent conditions at the
occipital–parietal areas. Moreover, there was a significant
Electrophysiological data recording and analysis: The interaction between congruency and orientation of the
electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded from electrodes collinear group at 260–340 ms [F(1,11)45.48, po0.04]. Post-
at 10–20 standard positions and five other pairs of hoc analyses confirmed that the congruency effect was
nonstandard sites. An electrode at the right mastoid was significant only when the collinear patches were arranged
used as reference. The electrode impedance was kept less along 451 [451 O1: F(1,11)¼20.93, po0.001; O2: F(1,11)¼7.76,
than 5 kO. The EEG was amplified by using a band pass of po0.018; OZ: F(1,11)¼11.69, po0.006; PZ: F(1,11)¼7.82,
0.1–75 Hz (1/2 amplitude cutoffs), digitized at 250 Hz/ po0.017; P3: F(1,11)¼29.33, po0.001; P4: F(1,11)¼5.59,
channel. Eye blinks were monitored with an electrode po0.038; 1351 F(1,11)o3.79, p40.08 for all posterior
located below the right eye. The horizontal electrooculo- electrodes].
gram (EOG) was recorded from electrodes placed about
1.5 cm lateral to the left and right external canthi. ERPs were
averaged offline using a computer program that extracted DISCUSSION
epochs of EEG beginning 200 ms before stimulus onset and We used a cueing paradigm to examine neural mechanisms
continuing for 1200 ms. Trials containing eye blinks, eye underlying the interaction between attention and grouping
movement deflections exceeding 750 mv at any electrode, by collinearity. Participants were able to allocate their
or incorrect behavioral responses were excluded from the attention along the global cued orientation, as indicated by
ERP averages. The baseline for ERP measurements was high response accuracy. Responses to collinear groups of
the mean voltage of a 200-ms prestimulus interval and the Gabor patches (‘yes’ responses) were faster than those to
latency was measured relative to the stimulus onset. noncollinear groups of Gabor patches (‘no’ responses),
Reaction times were submitted to repeated measures reflecting the fact that identification of a collinear group
analyses of variance (ANOVAs) with response types (‘yes’ was either faster or earlier than identification of a noncol-
vs. ‘no’ response) and attended orientation (451 vs. 1351) as linear group. Moreover, the advantage of ‘yes’ response over
independent variables. Mean ERP amplitudes at specific ‘no’ responses did not differ between conditions when the

568 Vol 16 No 6 25 April 2005


PERCEPTUAL GROUPING BY COLLINEARITY NEUROREPORT

(a)

45° Collinear group 45° Collinear group
attend 45° attend 135°
µV N1 µV
−12 O1 O2 N1

−6

C1 C1
0
−100 100 300 500 (ms)

6 P1 P1

(b)

135° Collinear group 135° Collinear group
attend 135° attend 45°

µV µV
−12 O1 N1 O2
N1

−6

C1 C1
0
−100 100 300 500 (ms)

6 P1 P1
Fig. 1. Illustrations of stimulus arrays and grand average event-related potentials (ERPs) elicited by 451 and 1351 collinear groupings under di¡erent
conditions recorded at occipital electrode (O1, O2). (a) ERPs elicited by 451 collinear group under congruent and incongruent conditions. (b) ERPs elicited
by 1351 collinear grouping under congruent and incongruent conditions.

collinear group was allocated along 451 or 1351, indicating have neural generators in the human primary visual cortex
that response speeds were independent of the global around the calcarine sulcus [10,11]. Because stimulus arrays
orientations of perceptual groups. were identical in the congruent and incongruent conditions,
The neural mechanisms of attentional modulation of the C1 effect could not arise from any difference in stimulus
grouping by collinearity were indexed by the differences in features. Thus, our ERP results suggest that attention along
ERPs between the conditions when attentional allocation the collinear group resulted in enhancement of neural
was either congruent or incongruent with the global activities in the primary visual cortex as early as 50 ms after
orientations of perceptual groups composed of collinear stimulus onset, providing electrophysiological evidence for
Gabor patches. We found that nontarget stimulus arrays the interaction between attention and grouping by colli-
elicited an early negative wave peaking between 40 and nearity in the primary visual cortex. Because the task used
80 ms after stimulus onset, which was enlarged by attention in the current study emphasized the global orientation of a
allocated along the collinear group in stimulus displays. perceptual group rather than the orientation of the central
Both the time course and morphology suggest that this Gabor patch, the C1 effect suggests that the integration of
negativity is the C1 component that has been identified to collinear Gabor patches involved neural mechanisms in the

Vol 16 No 6 25 April 2005 5 69

NEUROREPORT Y.WU, J. CHEN AND S. HAN

primary visual cortex, possibly through long-range hor- CONCLUSION
izontal connections linking neurons with common orienta- The early interaction between spatial attention and collinear
tion tunings [12]. grouping may have occurred in the primary visual cortex
Prior ERP studies have shown that the C1 component and was independent of global orientations of perceptual
evoked by stimulus arrays is modulated by whether local groups. Also, a long-latency interaction occurred between
elements in the stimulus display are grouped into columns attention and collinear grouping, which depended upon the
or rows by proximity [13]. In addition, the proximity- global orientations of collinear groups.
grouping-related activity in the calcarine cortex is modu-
lated by whether stimulus arrays are of high task relevance
and are located inside an attended area [3]. In accordance REFERENCES
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Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project 30225026, 30328016,
30470568, 30370476), the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Project 2002CCA01000).

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