 |
Previous Article | Next Article 
The Journal of Neuroscience, November 1, 2002, 22(21):9475-9489
Response of Neurons in the Lateral Intraparietal Area during a
Combined Visual Discrimination Reaction Time Task
Jamie D.
Roitman1 and
Michael N.
Shadlen2
1 Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, and
2 Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Physiology
and Biophysics, and Regional Primate Research Center, University of
Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-7290
Decisions about the visual world can take time to form, especially
when information is unreliable. We studied the neural correlate of
gradual decision formation by recording activity from the lateral intraparietal cortex (area LIP) of rhesus monkeys during a combined motion-discrimination reaction-time task. Monkeys reported the direction of random-dot motion by making an eye movement to one of two
peripheral choice targets, one of which was within the response field
of the neuron. We varied the difficulty of the task and measured both
the accuracy of direction discrimination and the time required to reach
a decision. Both the accuracy and speed of decisions increased as a
function of motion strength. During the period of decision formation,
the epoch between onset of visual motion and the initiation of the eye
movement response, LIP neurons underwent ramp-like changes in their
discharge rate that predicted the monkey's decision. A steeper
rise in spike rate was associated with stronger stimulus motion and
shorter reaction times. The observations suggest that neurons in LIP
integrate time-varying signals that originate in the extrastriate
visual cortex, accumulating evidence for or against a specific
behavioral response. A threshold level of LIP activity appears to mark
the completion of the decision process and to govern the tradeoff between accuracy and speed of perception.
Key words:
lateral intraparietal area (LIP); decision; reaction time; random-dot motion; electrophysiology; vision; psychophysics
Copyright © 2002 Society for Neuroscience 0270-6474/02/22219475-15$05.00/0
This article has been cited by other articles:

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. Niwa and J. Ditterich
Perceptual Decisions between Multiple Directions of Visual Motion
J. Neurosci.,
April 23, 2008;
28(17):
4435 - 4445.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
B. Handel, W. Lutzenberger, P. Thier, and T. Haarmeier
Selective Attention Increases the Dependency of Cortical Responses on Visual Motion Coherence in Man
Cereb Cortex,
April 18, 2008;
(2008)
bhn049v1.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
B. Kim and M. A. Basso
Saccade Target Selection in the Superior Colliculus: A Signal Detection Theory Approach
J. Neurosci.,
March 19, 2008;
28(12):
2991 - 3007.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. Kiani, T. D. Hanks, and M. N. Shadlen
Bounded Integration in Parietal Cortex Underlies Decisions Even When Viewing Duration Is Dictated by the Environment
J. Neurosci.,
March 19, 2008;
28(12):
3017 - 3029.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
Y. Chen, W. S. Geisler, and E. Seidemann
Optimal Temporal Decoding of Neural Population Responses in a Reaction-Time Visual Detection Task
J Neurophysiol,
March 1, 2008;
99(3):
1366 - 1379.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
Y. S. Liu, P. Holmes, and J. D. Cohen
A Neural Network Model of the Eriksen Task: Reduction, Analysis, and Data Fitting
Neural Comput.,
February 1, 2008;
20(2):
345 - 373.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
I. Hurwitz, A. Ophir, A. Korngreen, J. Koester, and A. J. Susswein
Currents Contributing to Decision Making in Neurons B31/B32 of Aplysia
J Neurophysiol,
February 1, 2008;
99(2):
814 - 830.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. A. Lebedev, J. E. O'Doherty, and M. A. L. Nicolelis
Decoding of Temporal Intervals From Cortical Ensemble Activity
J Neurophysiol,
January 1, 2008;
99(1):
166 - 186.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. V. Chafee, B. B. Averbeck, and D. A. Crowe
Representing Spatial Relationships in Posterior Parietal Cortex: Single Neurons Code Object-Referenced Position
Cereb Cortex,
December 1, 2007;
17(12):
2914 - 2932.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
E. J. Ploran, S. M. Nelson, K. Velanova, D. I. Donaldson, S. E. Petersen, and M. E. Wheeler
Evidence Accumulation and the Moment of Recognition: Dissociating Perceptual Recognition Processes Using fMRI
J. Neurosci.,
October 31, 2007;
27(44):
11912 - 11924.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. Tanaka
Cognitive Signals in the Primate Motor Thalamus Predict Saccade Timing
J. Neurosci.,
October 31, 2007;
27(44):
12109 - 12118.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
C. Palmer, S.-Y. Cheng, and E. Seidemann
Linking Neuronal and Behavioral Performance in a Reaction-Time Visual Detection Task
J. Neurosci.,
July 25, 2007;
27(30):
8122 - 8137.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
B. Handel, W. Lutzenberger, P. Thier, and T. Haarmeier
Opposite Dependencies on Visual Motion Coherence in Human Area MT+ and Early Visual Cortex
Cereb Cortex,
July 1, 2007;
17(7):
1542 - 1549.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. Ratcliff and G. McKoon
The Diffusion Decision Model: Theory and Data for Two-Choice Decision Tasks
Neural Comput.,
April 1, 2007;
20(4):
873 - 922.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
L. C. Osborne, S. S. Hohl, W. Bialek, and S. G. Lisberger
Time Course of Precision in Smooth-Pursuit Eye Movements of Monkeys
J. Neurosci.,
March 14, 2007;
27(11):
2987 - 2998.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
T. J. McKeeff and F. Tong
The Timing of Perceptual Decisions for Ambiguous Face Stimuli in the Human Ventral Visual Cortex
Cereb Cortex,
March 1, 2007;
17(3):
669 - 678.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. Ratcliff, Y. T. Hasegawa, R. P. Hasegawa, P. L. Smith, and M. A. Segraves
Dual Diffusion Model for Single-Cell Recording Data From the Superior Colliculus in a Brightness-Discrimination Task
J Neurophysiol,
February 1, 2007;
97(2):
1756 - 1774.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
D. Tadin, J. Kim, M. L. Doop, C. Gibson, J. S. Lappin, R. Blake, and S. Park
Weakened center-surround interactions in visual motion processing in schizophrenia.
J. Neurosci.,
November 1, 2006;
26(44):
11403 - 11412.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
L. H. Snyder, A. R. Dickinson, and J. L. Calton
Preparatory Delay Activity in the Monkey Parietal Reach Region Predicts Reach Reaction Times
J. Neurosci.,
October 4, 2006;
26(40):
10091 - 10099.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. Oristaglio, D. M. Schneider, P. F. Balan, and J. Gottlieb
Integration of Visuospatial and Effector Information during Symbolically Cued Limb Movements in Monkey Lateral Intraparietal Area.
J. Neurosci.,
August 9, 2006;
26(32):
8310 - 8319.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. E. Ipata, A. L. Gee, M. E. Goldberg, and J. W. Bisley
Activity in the lateral intraparietal area predicts the goal and latency of saccades in a free-viewing visual search task.
J. Neurosci.,
April 5, 2006;
26(14):
3656 - 3661.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. M. Churchland, B. M. Yu, S. I. Ryu, G. Santhanam, and K. V. Shenoy
Neural variability in premotor cortex provides a signature of motor preparation.
J. Neurosci.,
April 5, 2006;
26(14):
3697 - 3712.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. Soltani and X.-J. Wang
A biophysically based neural model of matching law behavior: melioration by stochastic synapses.
J. Neurosci.,
April 5, 2006;
26(14):
3731 - 3744.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
X. Li, B. Kim, and M. A. Basso
Transient Pauses in Delay-Period Activity of Superior Colliculus Neurons
J Neurophysiol,
April 1, 2006;
95(4):
2252 - 2264.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. T. Baker, G. H. Patel, M. Corbetta, and L. H. Snyder
Distribution of Activity Across the Monkey Cerebral Cortical Surface, Thalamus and Midbrain during Rapid, Visually Guided Saccades
Cereb Cortex,
April 1, 2006;
16(4):
447 - 459.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. W. Bisley and M. E. Goldberg
Neural Correlates of Attention and Distractibility in the Lateral Intraparietal Area
J Neurophysiol,
March 1, 2006;
95(3):
1696 - 1717.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. B. Sereno and S. C. Amador
Attention and Memory-Related Responses of Neurons in the Lateral Intraparietal Area During Spatial and Shape-Delayed Match-to-Sample Tasks
J Neurophysiol,
February 1, 2006;
95(2):
1078 - 1098.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
K.-F. Wong and X.-J. Wang
A Recurrent Network Mechanism of Time Integration in Perceptual Decisions
J. Neurosci.,
January 25, 2006;
26(4):
1314 - 1328.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. C. Huk and M. N. Shadlen
Neural Activity in Macaque Parietal Cortex Reflects Temporal Integration of Visual Motion Signals during Perceptual Decision Making
J. Neurosci.,
November 9, 2005;
25(45):
10420 - 10436.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
P. HOLMES, E. SHEA-BROWN, J. MOEHLIS, R. BOGACZ, J. GAO, G. ASTON-JONES, E. CLAYTON, J. RAJKOWSKI, and J. D. COHEN
Optimal Decisions: From Neural Spikes, through Stochastic Differential Equations, to Behavior
IEICE Trans A: Fundamentals,
October 1, 2005;
E88-A(10):
2496 - 2503.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
D. Schluppeck, P. Glimcher, and D. J. Heeger
Topographic Organization for Delayed Saccades in Human Posterior Parietal Cortex
J Neurophysiol,
August 1, 2005;
94(2):
1372 - 1384.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
K. G. Thompson, N. P. Bichot, and T. R. Sato
Frontal Eye Field Activity Before Visual Search Errors Reveals the Integration of Bottom-Up and Top-Down Salience
J Neurophysiol,
January 1, 2005;
93(1):
337 - 351.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
Y. E. Cohen, I. S. Cohen, and G. W. Gifford III
Modulation of LIP Activity by Predictive Auditory and Visual Cues
Cereb Cortex,
December 1, 2004;
14(12):
1287 - 1301.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. Musallam, B. D. Corneil, B. Greger, H. Scherberger, and R. A. Andersen
Cognitive Control Signals for Neural Prosthetics
Science,
July 9, 2004;
305(5681):
258 - 262.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
L. P. Sugrue, G. S. Corrado, and W. T. Newsome
Matching Behavior and the Representation of Value in the Parietal Cortex
Science,
June 18, 2004;
304(5678):
1782 - 1787.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. I. Gold
Through the Looking Glass. Focus on "Representation of an Abstract Perceptual Decision in Macaque Superior Colliculus"
J Neurophysiol,
May 1, 2004;
91(5):
1936 - 1937.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
G. D. Horwitz, A. P. Batista, and W. T. Newsome
Representation of an Abstract Perceptual Decision in Macaque Superior Colliculus
J Neurophysiol,
May 1, 2004;
91(5):
2281 - 2296.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
L. C. Osborne, W. Bialek, and S. G. Lisberger
Time Course of Information about Motion Direction in Visual Area MT of Macaque Monkeys
J. Neurosci.,
March 31, 2004;
24(13):
3210 - 3222.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. Zhang and S. Barash
Persistent LIP Activity in Memory Antisaccades: Working Memory For a Sensorimotor Transformation
J Neurophysiol,
March 1, 2004;
91(3):
1424 - 1441.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. W. Bisley, B. S. Krishna, and M. E. Goldberg
A Rapid and Precise On-Response in Posterior Parietal Cortex
J. Neurosci.,
February 25, 2004;
24(8):
1833 - 1838.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. P. N. Rao
Bayesian Computation in Recurrent Neural Circuits
Neural Comput.,
January 1, 2004;
16(1):
1 - 38.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. Ditzen, J.-F. Evers, and C. G. Galizia
Odor Similarity Does Not Influence the Time Needed for Odor Processing
Chem Senses,
November 1, 2003;
28(9):
781 - 789.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
B.A.J. Reddi, K. N. Asrress, and R.H.S. Carpenter
Accuracy, Information, and Response Time in a Saccadic Decision Task
J Neurophysiol,
November 1, 2003;
90(5):
3538 - 3546.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. E. Mazurek, J. D. Roitman, J. Ditterich, and M. N. Shadlen
A Role for Neural Integrators in Perceptual Decision Making
Cereb Cortex,
November 1, 2003;
13(11):
1257 - 1269.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. Ratcliff, A. Cherian, and M. Segraves
A Comparison of Macaque Behavior and Superior Colliculus Neuronal Activity to Predictions From Models of Two-Choice Decisions
J Neurophysiol,
September 1, 2003;
90(3):
1392 - 1407.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. R. Roesch and C. R. Olson
Impact of Expected Reward on Neuronal Activity in Prefrontal Cortex, Frontal and Supplementary Eye Fields and Premotor Cortex
J Neurophysiol,
September 1, 2003;
90(3):
1766 - 1789.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. I. Gold and M. N. Shadlen
The Influence of Behavioral Context on the Representation of a Perceptual Decision in Developing Oculomotor Commands
J. Neurosci.,
January 15, 2003;
23(2):
632 - 651.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|
|