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Decoding the rhythmic representation and communication of visual contents.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Decoding the rhythmic representation and communication of visual contents.
Authors: Stecher, Rico1 (AUTHOR) rico.stecher@math.uni-giessen.de, Cichy, Radoslaw Martin2 (AUTHOR), Kaiser, Daniel1,3 (AUTHOR) danielkaiser.net@gmail.com
Source: Trends in Neurosciences. Mar2025, Vol. 48 Issue 3, p178-188. 11p.
Subject Terms: *BRAIN waves, *ALPHA rhythm, *VISUAL perception, *MENTAL imagery, *VISUAL communication
Abstract: Rhythmic activity is considered critical for modulating responses in the visual system. Herein we propose that neural rhythms serve another fundamental function: the representation and communication of visual contents. We discuss a set of recent multivariate decoding studies on visual perception, imagery, and prediction that demonstrate such rhythmic content representations. These studies highlight how rhythmic content representations untangle feedforward and feedback information flows in the visual system, with alpha rhythms emerging as carriers of stimulus-specific feedback information. We outline how the study of rhythmic content representations may yield important insights into how visual contents are represented, transformed, and communicated in the human brain. Rhythmic neural activity is considered essential for adaptively modulating responses in the visual system. In this opinion article we posit that visual brain rhythms also serve a key function in the representation and communication of visual contents. Collating a set of recent studies that used multivariate decoding methods on rhythmic brain signals, we highlight such rhythmic content representations in visual perception, imagery, and prediction. We argue that characterizing representations across frequency bands allows researchers to elegantly disentangle content transfer in feedforward and feedback directions. We further propose that alpha dynamics are central to content-specific feedback propagation in the visual system. We conclude that considering rhythmic content codes is pivotal for understanding information coding in vision and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Database: Academic Search Index
Description
Abstract:Rhythmic activity is considered critical for modulating responses in the visual system. Herein we propose that neural rhythms serve another fundamental function: the representation and communication of visual contents. We discuss a set of recent multivariate decoding studies on visual perception, imagery, and prediction that demonstrate such rhythmic content representations. These studies highlight how rhythmic content representations untangle feedforward and feedback information flows in the visual system, with alpha rhythms emerging as carriers of stimulus-specific feedback information. We outline how the study of rhythmic content representations may yield important insights into how visual contents are represented, transformed, and communicated in the human brain. Rhythmic neural activity is considered essential for adaptively modulating responses in the visual system. In this opinion article we posit that visual brain rhythms also serve a key function in the representation and communication of visual contents. Collating a set of recent studies that used multivariate decoding methods on rhythmic brain signals, we highlight such rhythmic content representations in visual perception, imagery, and prediction. We argue that characterizing representations across frequency bands allows researchers to elegantly disentangle content transfer in feedforward and feedback directions. We further propose that alpha dynamics are central to content-specific feedback propagation in the visual system. We conclude that considering rhythmic content codes is pivotal for understanding information coding in vision and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:01662236
DOI:10.1016/j.tins.2024.12.005