Periodic Reporting for period 1 - VisPrepMem (I have seen that before: Pattern completion in the human visual system and its role for memory)
Reporting period: 2020-09-01 to 2022-08-31
The visual system in the brain is an anticipatory system: In order to hit a tennis ball during a match, parts of the brain calculate the future trajectory of the ball based on its past travel through the air to enable you to hit the ball. Previous research has shown that the visual system of the brain preplays information about this future trajectory based on previous experience.This pattern completion is preceding the expected trajectory, meaning that the brain activity arises before the actual movement of the ball would happen. This makes this so-called visual preplay an anticipating mechanism.
In this project, the researcher investigated this visual preplay in more detail, aiming at a better understanding of both the visual and memory system as well as its interplay. How does the visual system anticipate such visual movement or other recurring visual events? How is this linked with memory — and where are those memories stored? Answering these questions will tell us more about how the human brain anticipates the world around it. Ultimately, this knowledge can help us in gaining a better understanding of disorders and diseases in which this mechanism might be impaired.
In this project, the researcher investigated this visual preplay in more detail, aiming at a better understanding of both the visual and memory system as well as its interplay. How does the visual system anticipate such visual movement or other recurring visual events? How is this linked with memory — and where are those memories stored? Answering these questions will tell us more about how the human brain anticipates the world around it. Ultimately, this knowledge can help us in gaining a better understanding of disorders and diseases in which this mechanism might be impaired.
The researcher developed the experimental stimulation, acquired, and analysed the data. To mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic on the project, the researcher analysed existing data that allowed to address some of the questions on anticipatory processes and memory in the human visual system. This work reveals that the visual system aids in the anticipation and prediction of new stimuli by keeping a memory of past stimuli. The work is being prepared for publication in a scientific journal and public outreach is planned upon publication.
The project provides new knowledge about the interplay of visual perception and visual memory. It will also provide more knowledge about the oscillatory and temporal dynamics of the visual preplay mechanism once still ongoing work is finished. The final results are expected to provide new insights about both the visual and memory system, and how the human brain anticipates the world around it. This knowledge can ultimately aid us in better characterising disorders and diseases in which this mechanism might be impaired.