RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Distinct Neural Plasticity Enhancing Visual Perception
JF The Journal of Neuroscience
JO J. Neurosci.
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP e0301242024
DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0301-24.2024
VO 44
IS 36
A1 Kondat, Taly
A1 Tik, Niv
A1 Sharon, Haggai
A1 Tavor, Ido
A1 Censor, Nitzan
YR 2024
UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/44/36/e0301242024.abstract
AB The developed human brain shows remarkable plasticity following perceptual learning, resulting in improved visual sensitivity. However, such improvements commonly require extensive stimuli exposure. Here we show that efficiently enhancing visual perception with minimal stimuli exposure recruits distinct neural mechanisms relative to standard repetition-based learning. Participants (n = 20, 12 women, 8 men) encoded a visual discrimination task, followed by brief memory reactivations of only five trials each performed on separate days, demonstrating improvements comparable with standard repetition-based learning (n = 20, 12 women, 8 men). Reactivation-induced learning engaged increased bilateral intraparietal sulcus (IPS) activity relative to repetition-based learning. Complementary evidence for differential learning processes was further provided by temporal–parietal resting functional connectivity changes, which correlated with behavioral improvements. The results suggest that efficiently enhancing visual perception with minimal stimuli exposure recruits distinct neural processes, engaging higher-order control and attentional resources while leading to similar perceptual gains. These unique brain mechanisms underlying improved perceptual learning efficiency may have important implications for daily life and in clinical conditions requiring relearning following brain damage.