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Visual search is faster when a fixed target location is paired with a spatially invariant (vs. randomly changing) distractor configuration, thus indicating that repeated contexts are learned, thereby guiding attention to the target (contextual cueing [CC]). Evidence for memory-guided attention has also been revealed with electrophysiological (electroencephalographic [EEG]) recordings, starting with an enhanced early posterior negativity (N1pc), which signals a preattentive bias toward the target, and, subsequently, attentional and postselective components, such as the posterior contralateral negativity (PCN) and contralateral delay activity (CDA), respectively. Despite effective learning, relearning of previously acquired contexts is inflexible: The CC benefits disappear when the target is relocated to a new position within an otherwise invariant context and corresponding EEG correlates are diminished. The present study tested whether global statistical properties that induce predictions going beyond the immediate invariant layout can facilitate contextual relearning. Global statistical regularities were implemented by presenting repeated and nonrepeated displays in separate streaks (mini blocks) of trials in the relocation phase, with individual displays being presented in a fixed and thus predictable order. Our results revealed a significant CC effect (and an associated modulation of the N1pc, PCN, and CDA components) during initial learning. Critically, the global statistical regularities in the relocation phase also resulted in a reliable CC effect, thus revealing effective relearning with predictive streaks. Moreover, this relearning was reflected in an enhanced PCN amplitude for repeated relative to nonrepeated contexts. Temporally ordered contexts may thus adapt memory-based guidance of attention, particularly the allocation of covert attention in the visual display.

People often fail to notice unexpected stimuli when their attention is directed elsewhere. Most studies of this "inattentional blindness" have been conducted using laboratory tasks with little connection to real-world performance. Medical case reports document examples of missed findings in radiographs and CT images, unintentionally retained guidewires following surgery, and additional conditions being overlooked after making initial diagnoses. These cases suggest that inattentional blindness might contribute to medical errors, but relatively few studies have directly examined inattentional blindness in realistic medical contexts. We review the existing literature, much of which focuses on the use of augmented reality aids or inspection of medical images. Although these studies suggest a role for inattentional blindness in errors, most of the studies do not provide clear evidence that these errors result from inattentional blindness as opposed to other mechanisms. We discuss the design, analysis, and reporting practices that can make the contributions of inattentional blindness unclear, and we describe guidelines for future research in medicine and similar contexts that could provide clearer evidence for the role of inattentional blindness.

This article introduces this special issue of "Frontline Learning Research." The first paper offers a methodological guide using Ericsson & Smith's (1991) "expert performance approach." This is followed by three papers that analyze the use of eye tracking in visual expertise models, and a paper reviewing the use of methods such as EEG and fMRI to investigate the neural correlates of visual perceptual expertise. A paper on Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis brings new insight to the well-known signal detection methods used in control and visual inspection tasks in industry. Finally, three papers review methods based on verbal reports and protocols used to investigate the conceptual and meta-cognitive levels of visual expertise. The following sections (1) describe the methodological contribution of each paper according to five main themes or criteria and (2) discuss the benefits, limitations, and particularly the opportunities offered by new developments in each methodology and their possible combinations.

Visual expertise in medicine has been a subject of research since many decades. Interestingly, it has been investigated from two little related fields, namely the field that focused mainly on the visual search aspects whilst ignoring higher-level cognitive processes involved in medical expertise, and the field that mainly focused on these higher-level cognitive processes largely ignoring the relevant visual aspects. Consequently, both research lines have traditionally used different methodologies. Recently, this gap is being increasingly closed and this special issue presents methods to investigate visual expertise in medicine from both research lines, namely those investigating vision (eye tracking, pupillometry, flash preview moving window paradigm), verbalisations, brain activity, and performance measures (ROC analysis, gesture coding, expert performance approach). We discuss the benefits and drawbacks of each method and suggest directions for future research that could help to unbox the black box of visual expertise in medicine.

Visual expertise covers a broad range of types of studies and methodologies. Many studies incorporate some measure(s) of observer performance or how well participants perform on a given task. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis is a method commonly used in signal detection tasks (i.e., those in which the observer must decide whether or not a target is present or absent; or must classify a given target as belonging to one category or another), especially those in the medical imaging literature. This frontline paper will review some of the core theoretical underpinnings of ROC analysis, provide an overview of how to conduct an ROC study, and discuss some of the key variants of ROC analysis and their applications.

How we make sense of what we see and where best to look is shaped by our experience, our current task goals and how we first perceive our environment. An established way of demonstrating these factors work together is to study how eye movement patterns change as a function of expertise and to observe how experts can solve complex tasks after only very brief glances at a domain-specific image. The primary focus of this paper is to introduce an innovative gaze-contingent method called the "Flash-Preview Moving Window" (FPMW) paradigm (Castelhano & Henderson, 2007), which was recently developed to understand our shared expertise in scene perception and how our first glimpse of a scene is used to guide our eye movement behaviour. In keeping with this special issue on visual expertise and medicine, this paper will highlight how the FPMW paradigm has the potential to resolve long-standing theoretical issues as to how, right from the very first glance, experts are able to process domain-specific images and guide their eye movements better than novices. Since FPMW is a gaze-contingent eye-tracking method, the paper will first outline the current methodological and theoretical frontier, and how the FPMW paradigm bridges established methods used to investigate visual expertise. The paper will discuss a recent example in which the FPMW was employed to investigate medical image perception expertise for the first time (Litchfield & Donovan, 2016), and by discussing the insights and challenges this method offers, this should ultimately deepen our understanding of visual expertise.

Advances in computer visualization enabling both 2D and 3D representation have generated tools to aid perception of spatial relationships and provide a new forum for instructional design. A key knowledge gap is the lack of understanding of how the brain neurobiologically processes and learns from spatially presented content, and new quantitative variables are required to address this gap. The objective of this study was to apply quantitative neural measures derived from electroencephalography (EEG) to examine stereopsis in anatomy learning by comparing mean amplitude changes in N250 (related to object recognition) and reward positivity (related to responding to feedback) event related to potential components using a reinforcement-based learning paradigm. Health sciences students (n = 61) learned to identify and localize neuroanatomical structures using 2D, 3D, or a combination of models while EEG and behavioral (accuracy) data were recorded. Participants learning using 3D models had a greater object recognition (N250 amplitude) compared to those who learned from 2D models. Based on neurological results, interleaved learning incorporating both 2D and 3D models provided an advantage in learning, retention, and transfer activities represented by decreased reward positivity amplitude. Behavioral data did not have the same sensitivity as neural data for distinguishing differences in learning with and without stereopsis in these learning activities. Measuring neural activity reveals new insights in applied settings for educators to consider when incorporating stereoscopic models in the design of learning interventions.

Introduction: In recent years, major progress has been made in understanding the human visual system because of new investigative techniques. These developments often contradict older concepts about visual function. Methods: A detailed literature search and interprofessional discussions. Results: Recent innovative neurological tests are described that are able to show much more accurately the visual pathways, the process of vision, and the close relationships among sensory modalities. These tests also reveal the remarkable neuroplasticity of the human brain and disorders of connectivity that frequently involve visual function. Discussion: How these recent neurological advances may benefit service providers is discussed. Implications for practitioners: It is important that from time to time new neurological and ophthalmic developments are summarized for professionals who are involved in the clinical management of individuals with visual disorders and how the newly acquired knowledge affects the diagnosis and intervention strategies. Visual rehabilitation must be based on up-to-date science, which continually changes and grows with research.

The question regarding visual imagery and visual perception remain an open issue. Many studies have tried to understand if the two processes share the same mechanisms or if they are independent, using different neural substrates. Most research has been directed towards the need of activation of primary visual areas during imagery. Here we review some of the works providing evidence for both claims. It seems that studying visual imagery in blind subjects can be used as a way of answering some of those questions, namely if it is possible to have visual imagery without visual perception. We present results from the work of our group using visual activation in dreams and its relation with EEG's spectral components, showing that congenitally blind have visual contents in their dreams and are able to draw them; furthermore their Visual Activation Index is negatively correlated with EEG alpha power. This study supports the hypothesis that it is possible to have visual imagery without visual experience. (Contains 2 figures.)

Understanding how best to assess expertise, the situational variations of expertise, and distinctive qualities of expertise that arises from particular workplace experiences, presents an important challenge. Certainly, at this time, there is much interest in identifying standard occupational measures and competences, which are not well aligned with such variations and distinctiveness in performance. Therefore, this paper addresses the methodological issues posed by such a challenge through reviewing the expertise literature to identify ways forward. Based on the example of one target domain, medicine, and one criterion task, the comprehension of visualizations, the study identifies, elaborates, and evaluates assessments used to study qualitative changes in professional vision that occur as a result of extended periods of workplace learning experiences. It identifies the kinds of sample, materials, measures, and analysis methods used to assess the quality of expertise differences, as well as what elements of and differences in visual expertise are revealed in particular assessment processes. In doing this, the study seeks to illuminate how assessing the quality of expertise differences matured over the past 20 years, noting that strategies of scanning brain activity and tracking eye movements are now being used in ways that augment traditional approaches such as using verbal reports and observing representational practices. The findings demonstrate how the assessment of visual expertise has become more multidisciplinary over the past two decades. Implications for educational practice and future research directions on the development of professional vision are discussed.

In a noisy environment, visual perception of articulatory movements improves natural speech intelligibility. Parallel to phonemic processing based on auditory signal, visemic processing constitutes a counterpart based on "visemes", the distinctive visual units of speech. Aiming at investigating the neural substrates of visemic processing in a disturbed environment, we carried out a simultaneous fMRI-EEG experiment based on discriminating syllabic minimal pairs involving three phonological contrasts, each bearing on a single phonetic feature characterised by different degrees of visual distinctiveness. The contrasts involved either labialisation of the vowels, or place of articulation or voicing of the consonants. Audiovisual consonant-vowel syllable pairs were presented either with a static facial configuration or with a dynamic display of articulatory movements related to speech production. In the sound-disturbed MRI environment, the significant improvement of syllabic discrimination achieved in the dynamic audiovisual modality, compared to the static audiovisual modality was associated with activation of the occipito-temporal cortex (MT + V5) bilaterally, and of the left premotor cortex. While the former was activated in response to facial movements independently of their relation to speech, the latter was specifically activated by phonological discrimination. During fMRI, significant evoked potential responses to syllabic discrimination were recorded around 150 and 250 ms following the onset of the second stimulus of the pairs, whose amplitude was greater in the dynamic compared to the static audiovisual modality. Our results provide arguments for the involvement of the speech motor cortex in phonological discrimination, and suggest a multimodal representation of speech units. (Contains 4 figures and 3 tables.)

In this study, we had 3 major goals. The 1st goal was to establish a link between behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) measures of infant attention and recognition memory. To assess the distribution of infant visual preferences throughout ERP testing, we designed a new experimental procedure that embeds a behavioral measure (paired comparison trials) in the modified-oddball ERP procedure. The 2nd goal was to measure infant ERPs during the paired comparison trials. Independent component analysis (ICA) was used to identify and to remove eye-movement components from the electroencephalographic data, thus allowing for the analysis of ERP components during paired comparison trials. The 3rd goal was to localize the cortical sources of infant visual preferences. Equivalent current dipole analysis was performed on the ICA components related to experimental events. Infants who demonstrated novelty preferences in paired comparison trials demonstrated greater amplitude Negative central ERP components across tasks than infants who did not demonstrate novelty preferences. Visual preference also interacted with attention and stimulus type. The cortical sources of infant visual preferences were localized to inferior and superior prefrontal cortex and to the anterior cingulate cortex. (Contains 12 figures, 6 footnotes and 1 table.)

Motor involvement in speech perception has been recently studied using a variety of techniques. In the current study, EEG measurements from Cz, C3 and C4 electrodes were used to examine the relative power of the mu rhythm (i.e., 8-13 Hz) in response to various audio-visual speech and non-speech stimuli, as suppression of these rhythms is considered an index of "mirror neuron" (i.e., motor) activity. Fourteen adult native English speaking females watched and listened to nine audio-video stimuli clips assembled from three different auditory stimuli (speech, noise, and pure tone) combined with three different video stimuli (speech, noise, and kaleidoscope--made from scrambling an image from the visual speech). Relative to the noise-noise (baseline condition), all visual speech conditions resulted in significant levels of suppression, a finding that is consistent with previous reports of mirror activity to visual speech and mu suppression to "biological" stimuli. None of the non-speech conditions or conditions in which speech was presented via audition only resulted in any significant suppression of the mu rhythm in this population. Thus, visual speech perception appears to be more closely associated with motor activity than acoustic speech perception. It is postulated that in this study, the processing demands incurred by the task were insufficient for inducing significant mu suppression via acoustic speech only. The findings are discussed in theoretical contexts of speech perception and the mirror system. We suggest that this technique may offer a cost-efficient, non-invasive technique for measuring motor activity during speech perception. (Contains 3 figures.)

Photosensitivity or photoparoxysmal response (PPR) is a highly heritable electroencephalographic trait characterized by an abnormal cortical response to intermittent photic stimulation (IPS). In PPR-positive individuals, IPS induces spikes, spike-waves or intermittent slow waves. The PPR may be restricted to posterior visual areas (i.e. local PPR with occipital spikes only) or spread to anterior non-visual cortical regions (i.e. PPR with propagation). The mechanisms underlying the PPR and causing its spread remain to be clarified. In unmedicated PPR-positive individuals and PPR-negative control participants without any history of previous seizures, the authors used focal transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to investigate the excitability of the visual or primary motor cortex (M1). In the first experiment [18 healthy control subjects (i.e. without PPR in electroencephalography: 6 females, mean age 26.5 plus/minus 7.34 years) and 17 healthy participants with PPR (7 females, mean age 25.18 plus/minus 12.2 years) were studied], occipital TMS was used to elicit phosphenes or to suppress the visual perception of letter trigrams. PPR-positive individuals with propagation had lower phosphene thresholds and steeper stimulus response curves than individuals without PPR or with occipital spikes only. Occipital TMS also induced a stronger suppression of visual perception in PPR-positive subjects with propagation relative to subjects without PPR or with occipital spikes. In the second experiment, the authors applied TMS over the right M1 without concurrent IPS and measured the motor threshold, the stimulus response curve, and the duration of the cortical silent period (CSP) in PPR positive individuals with propagation and in PPR-negative control participants [15 right-handed healthy subjects without PPR (3 males, mean age 17.7 plus/minus 3.6 years) and 14 right-handed healthy individuals showing a PPR with propagation (3 males, mean age 17.4 plus/minus 3.9 years)]. PPR-positive individuals showed no changes inability measures relative to the PPR-negative control participants. The authors also measured the modifiability of the CSP by continuous IPS at a frequency of 18 or 50 Hz. While IPS reduced the duration of the CSP in PPR-negative control subjects, IPS had no effect on the duration of the CSP in PPR-positive individuals. The results provide first time evidence that the propagation of the PPR is associated with increased excitability of the occipital but not the motor cortex. The stronger inhibitory effect of TMS on visual perception and the failure of IPS to shorten the CSP in PPR-positive participants may possibly reflect adaptive changes that prevent the provocation of seizures during the PPR.

Employs the metaphor of verbal language to explore the elements which make up the alphabet, grammar, and vocabulary of visual language, with special emphasis on medical illustrations. Form, line, mass, the role of light, perspective, and visual perception are discussed; nine figures and five references are included. (JL)

Abstract Pointing gestures are often used to refer to distant referents by indicating in which vertical and horizontal direction the referent is located relative to the pointer. In the present manuscript, we address whether and how both dimensions interact when people spatially interpret pointing gestures, or whether both dimensions are processed independently as reflected in many current models. We found that both dimensions interact on different levels. First, cross-dimensional effects were found on a between-gestures level. That is, the perception of the vertical position implied by a pointing gesture depended on horizontal arm and finger orientation. Conversely, the horizontal interpretation depended on vertical arm and finger orientation. Second, we found cross-dimensional interactions on the level of intra-individual biases. That is, participants’ horizontal perceptual biases in interpretations (e.g., perceiving a gesture as directed more rightward than others) were related to their vertical perceptual biases. Third, we found cross-dimensional interactions on the level of intra-individual variability. That is, the vertical and horizontal interpretations of the same pointing gestures were correlated within participants and gestures. Together, these findings indicate that human spatial pointing perception is based on configural processing of a gesture on different levels of information processing.

Abstract Mu rhythm (∼8–12 Hz) in the somatosensory cortex has traditionally been linked with doing and seeing motor activities. Here, we aimed to learn how the medium (physical or screened) in which motor actions are seen could impact on that specific brain rhythm. To do so, we presented to 40 participants the very same narrative content both in a one-shot movie with no cuts and in a real theatrical performance. We recorded subjects’ brain activities with electroencephalographic (EEG) procedures, and analyzed Mu rhythm present in left (C3) and right (C4) somatosensory areas in relation to the 24 motor activities included in each visual stimulus (screen vs. reality) (24 motor and grasping actions x 40 participants x 2 conditions = 1920 trials). We found lower Mu spectral power in the somatosensory area after the onset of the motor actions in real performance than on-screened content, more pronounced in the left hemisphere. In our results, the sensorimotor Mu-ERD (event-related desynchronization) was stronger during the real-world observation compared to screen observation. This could be relevant in research areas where the somatosensory cortex is important, such as online learning, virtual reality, or brain-computer interfaces.

OBJECTIVE: To compare Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based teaching with traditional approach in chest radiographs to detect COVID-19 pneumonia. METHODS: This prospective experimental randomized controlled trial was conducted at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad from July to November 2021, following ethical approval. Forty postgraduate radiology residents were randomly assigned into Group-A (traditional teaching; n=20) or Group-B (AI-based teaching; n=20) using a lottery method. Group-A engaged in one-on-one sessions for COVID X-ray reporting, while Group-B trained in AI-deep learning methods. Pre-tests assessed baseline knowledge, and post-training assessments compared learning outcomes. Statistical analysis using SPSS v25 included Independent sample t-tests and chi square test. Following initial assessments, teaching methods were exchanged between groups for comparison. RESULTS: Out of 40 participants 60% were males and 40% were females, with mean age of 27.45±1.7 years. Group-B showed significantly higher post-test scores (9.40±0.598) compared to Group-A (7.75 ± 1.118) (p

Abstract As the global population ages, understanding of the effect of aging on visual perception is of growing importance. This study investigates age-related changes in adulthood along size perception through the lens of three visual illusions: the Ponzo, Ebbinghaus, and Height-width illusions. Utilizing the Bayesian conceptualization of the aging brain, which posits increased reliance on prior knowledge with age, we explored potential differences in the susceptibility to visual illusions across different age groups in adults (ages 20–85 years). To this end, we used the BTPI (Ben-Gurion University Test for Perceptual Illusions), an online validated battery of visual illusions developed in our lab. The findings revealed distinct patterns of age-related changes for each of the illusions, challenging the idea of a generalized increase in reliance on prior knowledge with age. Specifically, we observed a systematic reduction in susceptibility to the Ebbinghaus illusion with age, while susceptibility to the Height-width illusion increased with age. As for the Ponzo illusion, there were no significant changes with age. These results underscore the complexity of age-related changes in visual perception and converge with previous findings to support the idea that different visual illusions of size are mediated by distinct perceptual mechanisms.

Abstract One of the less recognized effects of anxiety lies in perception alterations caused by how one weighs both sensory evidence and contextual cues. Here, we investigated how anxiety affects our ability to use social cues to anticipate the others’ actions. We adapted a paradigm to assess expectations in social scenarios, whereby participants were asked to identify the presence of agents therein, while supported by contextual cues from another agent. Participants (N = 66) underwent this task under safe and threat-of-shock conditions. We extracted both criterion and sensitivity measures as well as gaze data. Our analysis showed that whilst the type of action had the expected effect, threat-of-shock had no effect over criterion and sensitivity. Although showing similar dwell times, gaze exploration of the contextual cue was associated with shorter fixation durations whilst participants were under threat. Our findings suggest that anxiety does not appear to influence the use of expectations in social scenarios.

Perceiving biological motion (BM) is crucial for human survival and social interaction. Many studies have reported impaired BM perception in autism spectrum disorder, which is characterised by deficits in social interaction. Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often exhibit similar difficulties in social interaction. However, few studies have investigated BM perception in children with ADHD. Here, we compared differences in the ability to process local kinematic and global configurational cues, two fundamental abilities of BM perception, between typically developing and ADHD children. We further investigated the relationship between BM perception and social interaction skills measured using the Social Responsiveness Scale and examined the contributions of latent factors (e.g. sex, age, attention, and intelligence) to BM perception. The results revealed that children with ADHD exhibited atypical BM perception. Local and global BM processing showed distinct features. Local BM processing ability was related to social interaction skills, whereas global BM processing ability significantly improved with age. Critically, general BM perception (i.e. both local and global BM processing) may be affected by sustained attentional ability in children with ADHD. This relationship was primarily mediated by reasoning intelligence. These findings elucidate atypical BM perception in ADHD and the latent factors related to BM perception. Moreover, this study provides new evidence that BM perception is a hallmark of social cognition and advances our understanding of the potential roles of local and global processing in BM perception and social cognitive disorders.

The visual processing disorder is broadly observed among individuals with autism. This study was conducted to develop an integrated rehabilitation program based on vibroacoustics and virtual reality and to assess its effectiveness on the visual processing of autistic children. This experimental case report was conducted using an Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) design on 5 children with autism referred to Zehnara Rehabilitation Clinic in the second half months of 2021. First, the integrated program was implemented for ten 30-minute sessions on 2 subjects randomly selected from among the samples. After determining the program validity, 3 more subjects were entered into the study. The sensory profile questionnaire-2 was used. The questionnaires were filled out at the baseline stage, at the end of each intervention session, and at the one-month follow-up stage. The visual analysis, the percentage of recovery, the percentage of non-overlapping data (PND), and the percentage of overlapping data (POD) were used for data analysis. The implemented intervention was evaluated to be effective for all five subjects so that for Subjects No. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, the PND rates were obtained to be 90%, 90%, 70%, 100%, and 90%, respectively. The results of this study demonstrated that the integrated sensory rehabilitation program could be used to improve the visual processing of children with autism.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) describes computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and language translation. Examples of AI techniques are machine learning, neural networks, and deep learning. AI can be applied in many different areas, such as econometrics, biometry, e-commerce, and the automotive industry. In recent years, AI has found its way into healthcare as well, helping doctors make better decisions ("clinical decision support"), localizing tumors in magnetic resonance images, reading and analyzing reports written by radiologists and pathologists, and much more. However, AI has one big risk: it can be perceived as a "black box", limiting trust in its reliability, which is a very big issue in an area in which a decision can mean life or death. As a result, the term Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) has been gaining momentum. XAI tries to ensure that AI algorithms (and the resulting decisions) can be understood by humans. In this narrative review, we will have a look at some central concepts in XAI, describe several challenges around XAI in healthcare, and discuss whether it can really help healthcare to advance, for example, by increasing understanding and trust. Finally, alternatives to increase trust in AI are discussed, as well as future research possibilities in the area of XAI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linking the activity of neurons, circuits and synapses to human behavior is a fundamental goal of neuroscience. Meeting this goal is challenging, in part because behavior, particularly perception, often masks the complexity of the underlying neural circuits, and in part because of the significant behavioral differences between primates and animals like mice and flies in which genetic manipulations are relatively common. Here we relate circuit-level processing of rod and cone signals in the non-human primate retina to a known break in the normal seamlessness of human vision – a surprising inability to see high contrast flickering lights under specific conditions. We use electrophysiological recordings and perceptual experiments to identify key mechanisms that shape the retinal integration of rod- and cone-generated retinal signals. We then incorporate these mechanistic insights into a predicti\ve model that accurately captures the cancellation of rod- and cone-mediated responses and can explain the perceptual insensitivity to flicker.

Objectives: In order to rehabilitate cognitive disorders, it is necessary to carefully evaluate cognitive function. Given the variety of assessments, including computerized and functional tests, the aim of this study was to determine whether computerized test scores really reflect a person’s functional ability. In this study, we measured the correlation between computerized and functional evaluation results Methods: In this cross-section study, 45 people (9 males and 36 females) with multiple sclerosis with an Expanded Disability Score (EDSS) of 1 to 5 were recruited. To assess their cognitive function, the CANTAB tests (SOC, DMS, and SSP tests) and the Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment (LOTCA) battery were used. The data were then processed with SPSS software v. 22. Results: The results showed that the CANTAB test is well correlated with the LOTCA battery. A high correlation was observed between LOTCA’s “visual perception” with delayed matching to sample (r=0.909), LOTCA’s “spatial perception” with spatial span test (r=0.907), LOTCA’s “visual organization” with stocking of Cambridge (r=0.961), and “mental operations” in LOTCA with “stocking of Cambridge” (r=0.835). Discussion: Due to the very good convergence of these two tests, in many cases, computerized tests can be used instead of functional tests.

The article presents a study devoted to the study of cognitive dysfunctions in patients with schizophrenia and endogenous depression in their relationship with the functioning of the magnocellular and parvocellular systems. Mismatch in the work of neural systems leads to violations of the integrity of visual perception and to a violation of the selectivity of thinking in endogenous patients, which makes it difficult to assess and select meaningful, essential information in the formation of judgments. 60 patients with schizophrenia (43 (75%) male and 17 (25%) female; mean age ― 34.0±12.0 years) and 25 patients with endogenous depression (11 (44%) male and 14 (56%) female, mean age ― 38.0±13.6 years) with the use of psychophysiological (the method of visocontrastometry with an assessment of the contrast sensitivity of the visual system, the method of assessing the noise immunity of the visual system) and experimental psychological methods (Trial-Making test by Reitan, Memorizing 10 words, Poppelreiter's figures, Incomplete images, Excluding the 4th superfluous). The established features of cognitive dysfunctions in endogenous depression and schizophrenia are associated with the features of the functional state of the magnocellular and parvocellular neuronal systems and the nature of the interaction of these systems. The specificity of impairments in cognitive functions in patients with endogenous depression is due to changes in the dynamic component of cognitive activity, while the specificity of impairments in cognitive functions in patients with schizophrenia is associated with changes in the selectivity of information and early sensory defects. The data obtained make it possible to develop an idea of the profiles of sensory-cognitive impairments in endogenous depression and schizophrenia, which is of particular importance for differential diagnosis.

Introduction. Visual-motor integration (VMI) is defined as the degree to which visual perception (VP) and finger-hand movements are well coordinated. The VMI consists of two components: VP and motor coordination (MC). The main goal of our research was to determine whether there are differences in age and gender categories in VMI, VP and MC scores, as well as whether there is a correlation between VMI and school success of younger school-aged children. Methods. Out of 103 student respondents, 52 were female (50.5%), aged 6 to 11 years (8.05 ± 1.44 years), divided into two groups according to age: 6–8 years (first, second and third grade) and 9–11 years (fourth to fifth grade). Data on the level of VMI were obtained by applying the following tests: Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of VMI, VP test and MC test. Results. In the older age group of subjects, a significant difference was observed in the mean values of the score on the VMI (12.67 ± 1.92), VP (23.69 ± 3.21) and MC (24.34 ± 3.23) tests comparing to the younger group of subjects (9.98 ± 2.12; 20.80 ± 3.2; 19.65 ± 3.82) (p < 0.001), while the difference in the mean values of scores in relation to gender was not observed. A significant, positive and strong correlation was observed between the scores on the VMI, VP and MC test with the success of second to fifth grade students (p < 0.050). Conclusion. Given such a strong correlation between VMI and the success of younger students, we conclude that it is important that VMI disabilities are identified in time, so that these students can be referred for further assessment and receive the necessary support.

Introduction: Visual perception error (VPE), especially in the measurement of physical quantities, is the most important aspect of perception error that has a significant impact on the dimensions of human life. This study aimed to design, fabricate, and standardize the visual perception error test (VPEMT) based on the domains of its distribution in Iranian society, in order to compare different individuals and groups in terms of their scores and means in this domain. Material & Methods: This descriptive-survey study was conducted using a number of cards with a two-part image of unequal lines, except for one case as a criterion, and was designed in (T) shape and tested on individuals. Finally, VPEMT consisted of 14 cards (Ta, Tb…Tn) with a difference of half a centimeter in the vertical line. A three-choice question was answered and implemented on 90 people of both genders (16-65 years), and the result was considered the base of the study. The statistical population included 15-45-year cases (mean age: 26 years) who lived in Ilam for 9 months. Eventually, a sample of 900 cases of both genders was randomly selected using the block-cluster sampling method and tested with VPEMT. (Ethic code: 1398.041.CER.B.UAI.RI) Findings: The validity and reliability of the VPEMT were estimated by halving, within and between experts, and repeated tests (r=0.92 to r=0.98; and r=0.97, respectively). VPE has an almost normal distribution (mean=7.97, median=8, mode=9, dispersion=9, and range between 3 and 12) and diagnostic cut (Td/10) at 80% level, as well as the minimum and maximum error (1.5-6) cm in every 12 centimeters. Estimation of standard error showed the confidence intervals of the mean of the population from the mean of the group at the level of 0.05 (40±1 mm) (41> µ> 39). Discussion & Conclusion: Based on the research findings, it can be concluded that VPEMT, in showing the amount of VPE, in the population aged 15-45 years, based on two criteria (mean and reality) had very high validity and reliability. It can also be used diagnostically-selectively in different groups in this age range and research. Moreover, it has the potential to be upgraded to an accurate and automated electronic system or software for this purpose in such a way that the subject receives the amount of his/her perception error by pressing the desired key.

In September of the 1982-1983 academic year, with the delivery of the first construction module of the Medicine School in Cienfuegos, the 1st Contingent of the Carlos Juan Finlay Medical Sciences Detachment began. On December the 20th, 1982, Resolution No. 233 is issued by the Ministry of Public Health, where the creation of the Faculty of Cienfuegos Medical Sciences is resolved. On the occasion of celebrating the fortieth anniversary next September 2022, the need arises to develop a visual campaign to accompany the celebrations. Therefore, we proceed to the design of the image. This article describes the making of the image type, the foundations, attributes to be communicated and symbolisms taken into consideration. On January the 31st, 2022, it was approved by the Board of Directors of the Cienfuegos University of Medical Sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Mothers’ visual perception is an important determinant for their children’s nutritional status. Visual perception of their children’s nutritional status is believed to drive mothers to modify or apply certain feeding styles, which influence the probability of either optimal growth or malnutrition. Objective To determine if maternal visual perception of children’s nutritional status influences maternal feeding style. Methods The study was conducted in 3 kindergartens in Medan, North Sumatera, involving children aged 4-5 years and their mothers. Mothers filled three-part questionnaires, consisting of basic information, a series of body image sketches by a graphic artist to assess maternal visual perception, and the Parental Feeding Style Questionnaire (PFSQ) to assess maternal feeding style. Children’s body heights and weights were measured to assess their nutritional status. Results A total of 102 subjects were eligible for this study. Surprisingly, more than half of the mothers involved in our study misinterpreted their children nutritional status. Thus, there was no significant relationship between maternal visual perception, nor maternal misperception, and maternal feeding style. In fact, mothers tended to encourage their children to eat when they considered their children to have normal nutritional status. Conclusion Mothers’ visual perception does not influence feeding practice.

Humans have the amazing ability to learn new visual concepts from just a single exemplar. How we achieve this remains mysterious. State-of-the-art theories suggest observers rely on internal ‘generative models’, which not only describe observed objects, but can also synthesize novel variations. However, compelling evidence for generative models in human one-shot learning remains sparse. In most studies, participants merely compare candidate objects created by the experimenters, rather than generating their own ideas. Here, we overcame this key limitation by presenting participants with 2D ‘Exemplar’ shapes and asking them to draw their own ‘Variations’ belonging to the same class. The drawings reveal that participants inferred—and synthesized—genuine novel categories that were far more varied than mere copies. Yet, there was striking agreement between participants about which shape features were most distinctive, and these tended to be preserved in the drawn Variations. Indeed, swapping distinctive parts caused objects to swap apparent category. Our findings suggest that internal generative models are key to how humans generalize from single exemplars. When observers see a novel object for the first time, they identify its most distinctive features and infer a generative model of its shape, allowing them to mentally synthesize plausible variants.

Background Bodily state is theorised to play a role in perceptual scaling of the environment, whereby low bodily capacity shifts visuospatial perception, with distances appearing farther and hills steeper, and the opposite seen for high bodily capacity. This may play a protective role, where perceptual scaling discourages engaging with the environment when capacity is low. Methodology Our protocol was pre-registered via Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/6zya5/) with all amendments to the protocol tracked. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the role of bodily state/capacity on spatial perception measures of the environment. Databases (Medline, PsychINFO, Scopus, Embase, and Emcare) and grey literature were searched systematically, inclusive to 26/8/21. All studies were assessed using a customised Risk of Bias form. Standard mean differences and 95% CIs were calculated via meta-analysis using a random-effects model. Results A total of 8,034 studies were identified from the systematic search. Of these, 68 experiments (3,195 participants) met eligibility and were included in the review. These were grouped into the following categories: fatigue; pain; age; embodiment; body size/body paty size; glucose levels; fitness; and interoception, and interoceptive accuracy. We found low level evidence (limited studies, high risk of bias) for the effect of bodily state on spatial perception. There was consistent evidence that both glucose manipulations and age influence spatial perception of distances and hills in a hypothesised direction (lower capacity associated with increased distance and hill steepness). Mixed evidence exists for the influence of external loads, embodiment, body/body-part size manipulations, pain, and interoceptive accuracy. Evidence for fitness and/or fatigue influencing spatial perception was conflicting; notably, methodological flaws with fitness and fatigue paradigms and heterogenous spatial perception measures may underlie null/conflicting results. Conclusion We found limited evidence for bodily state influencing spatial perception of the environment. That all studies had high risk of bias makes conclusions about reported effects reflecting actual perceptual shifts (vs merely reflecting experimental demands or error due to inadequate study design) pre-emptive. Rigorous evaluation is needed to determine whether reported effects reflect more than bias (e.g., experimental demands, inadequate blinding). Future work using reliable measures of spatial perception, comprehensive evaluation of relevant confounders, and methodologically robust (and experimentally confirmed) bodily state experimental paradigms is warranted.

Objective To determine the relationship between line bisection test (LBT) performance time and prognosis of hemispatial neglect (HSN) in stroke patients. Methods Data on stroke patients with HSN were prospectively collected. After patient recruitment and eligibility screening, the LBT, Motor-Free Visual Perception Test 3rd edition, and Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination were performed at the time of admission and 4 weeks thereafter. The LBT performance time was also measured. All patients received conventional rehabilitation for 4 weeks. Based on the improvements in their LBT grades, the patients were divided into improved and non-improved groups. The evaluation results of the two groups were compared using Mann–Whitney U-tests and logistic regression was performed to predict the independence of each outcome. Results In total, 26 stroke patients with HSN were included, with 13 patients in each group. Significant differences were observed in the baseline LBT performance times between the improved and non-improved groups (p

Processing of incoming sensory stimulation triggers an increase of cerebral perfusion and blood oxygenation (neurovascular response) as well as an alteration of the metabolic neurochemical profile (neurometabolic response). Here, we show in human primary visual cortex (V1) that perceived and unperceived isoluminant chromatic flickering stimuli designed to have similar neurovascular responses as measured by blood oxygenation level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-fMRI) have markedly different neurometabolic responses as measured by proton functional magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-fMRS). In particular, a significant regional buildup of lactate, an index of aerobic glycolysis, and glutamate, an index of malate–aspartate shuttle, occurred in V1 only when the flickering was perceived, without any relation with other behavioral or physiological variables. Whereas the BOLD-fMRI signal in V1, a proxy for input to V1, was insensitive to flickering perception by design, the BOLD-fMRI signal in secondary visual areas was larger during perceived than unperceived flickering, indicating increased output from V1. These results demonstrate that the upregulation of energy metabolism induced by visual stimulation depends on the type of information processing taking place in V1, and that 1H-fMRS provides unique information about local input/output balance that is not measured by BOLD-fMRI.

Can direct stimulation of primate V1 substitute for a visual stimulus and mimic its perceptual effect? To address this question, we developed an optical-genetic toolkit to ‘read’ neural population responses using widefield calcium imaging, while simultaneously using optogenetics to ‘write’ neural responses into V1 of behaving macaques. We focused on the phenomenon of visual masking, where detection of a dim target is significantly reduced by a co-localized medium-brightness mask (Cornsweet and Pinsker, 1965; Whittle and Swanston, 1974). Using our toolkit, we tested whether V1 optogenetic stimulation can recapitulate the perceptual masking effect of a visual mask. We find that, similar to a visual mask, low-power optostimulation can significantly reduce visual detection sensitivity, that a sublinear interaction between visual- and optogenetic-evoked V1 responses could account for this perceptual effect, and that these neural and behavioral effects are spatially selective. Our toolkit and results open the door for further exploration of perceptual substitutions by direct stimulation of sensory cortex.

The pupil provides a rich, non-invasive measure of the neural bases of perception and cognition and has been of particular value in uncovering the role of arousal-linked neuromodulation, which alters both cortical processing and pupil size. But pupil size is subject to a multitude of influences, which complicates unique interpretation. We measured pupils of observers experiencing perceptual multistability—an ever-changing subjective percept in the face of unchanging but inconclusive sensory input. In separate conditions, the endogenously generated perceptual changes were either task-relevant or not, allowing a separation between perception-related and task-related pupil signals. Perceptual changes were marked by a complex pupil response that could be decomposed into two components: a dilation tied to task execution and plausibly indicative of an arousal-linked noradrenaline surge, and an overlapping constriction tied to the perceptual transient and plausibly a marker of altered visual cortical representation. Constriction, but not dilation, amplitude systematically depended on the time interval between perceptual changes, possibly providing an overt index of neural adaptation. These results show that the pupil provides a simultaneous reading on interacting but dissociable neural processes during perceptual multistability, and suggest that arousal-linked neuromodulator release shapes action but not perception in these circumstances.

Abstract Objective Ishihara test is a color vision test, whose results consider that all plates of the test have the same weighting. Rodriguez-Carmona et al. (Aviat Space Environ Med 83:19–29, 2012) proposed an equation to quantify the Ishihara test results (severity index), which took an account the rate of hits from the different plates of the test considering the performance of trichromat or colorblind population. We proposed a correction in Rodiguez-Carmona’s equation for the severity index. We evaluated 60 normal trichromats and 107 subjects with congenital color deficiency. We calculated three indexes to quantify the results of each subject: a non-weighted index, a weighted index similar to the Rodriguez-Carmona et al., and a weighted index modified which combined the hit frequency for each plate in a trichromat population and of the error reading frequency for each plate in color-blind populations. Results Compared to the non-weighted evaluation, the weighted index was reduced by 22.95%, 32.92%, and 35.38% from trichromats, protan and deutan groups, respectively. Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis showed perfect performance of the classifier for all metrics to measure the Ishihara test results. The proposal correction changed significantly the value of the index, but the overall benefits were small.

Objectives: Paper and pencil exercises are extensively used to enhance children’s visual perceptual skills, while exercises involving volumetric shapes have been neglected. The present study aimed to develop a combined training package, including volumetric shapes and paper and pencil exercises, and to investigate its effectiveness in strengthening the visual perceptual skills of preschool children. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with pre-test post-test and a control group design. The statistical population of the study consisted of preschool children (n:30; age:5-6 years), who were randomly assigned to the control and experimental groups. In the experimental group, the training package reinforcing visual perceptual skills was presented in ten 45-minute sessions in a play and paint framework. In the pre-test and post-test phases, the Frostig developmental test of visual perception was completed by children. Results: The results suggested that the post-test pre-test differences between the experimental and control groups were significant in terms of the following components: differentiation between object and background, understanding shape stability, the perception of position in space, and the total score of visual perception. Discussion: Considering the effectiveness of combined training package in strengthening visual perceptual skills, it can be used to facilitate learning in preschool children and reduce visual perceptual deficits in children with learning disabilities.

Human perceptual decisions can be repelled away from (repulsive adaptation) or attracted towards recent visual experience (attractive serial dependence). It is currently unclear whether and how these repulsive and attractive biases interact during visual processing and what computational principles underlie these history dependencies. Here we disentangle repulsive and attractive biases by exploring their respective timescales. We find that perceptual decisions are concurrently attracted towards the short-term perceptual history and repelled from stimuli experienced up to minutes into the past. The temporal pattern of short-term attraction and long-term repulsion cannot be captured by an ideal Bayesian observer model alone. Instead, it is well captured by an ideal observer model with efficient encoding and Bayesian decoding of visual information in a slowly changing environment. Concurrent attractive and repulsive history biases in perceptual decisions may thus be the consequence of the need for visual processing to simultaneously satisfy constraints of efficiency and stability.

Amaç: Pareidolia, gerçekte var olmayan bir nesnenin bir uyaran veya bir görüntüde beyin tarafından tanıdık bir patern olarak yorumlanmasıdır. Yüz pareidolia, var olmayan yüzlerin görsel yanılsama ve halüsinasyon algısıdır. Pareidolia testi, görsel yanılsamaları uyarmak için kullanılır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, pareidolia testinin basitleştirilmiş bir versiyonunu oluşturmak, geçerlik ve güvenirlik testlerini yapmaktır.Materyal ve Metot: Pareidolia testi 75 sağlıklı gönüllü birey ile gerçekleştirildi. Bu testin geçerliliğini belirlemek için Kendall W analizi kullanıldı. Testin alt boyutlarında iç tutarlılığı için Cronbach alfa katsayısı kullanılmış ve güvenilirlik çalışmalarında Pearson Korelasyon Analizi kullanıldı.Bulgular: Bu çalışmadaki 75 yetişkin sağlıklı gönüllü katılımcının 34’ü kadın 41’i erkekti. Katılımcıların yaş ortalaması 21,46 ± 2,17 olarak belirlendi. Cronbach Alpha katsayısı 0,88 olup, yüksek güvenilirlik derecesine sahipti. Sonuç: Pareidolia testi, yetişkinlerde görsel yanılsamaların taranması için güvenilir ve geçerli bir testtir. Pareidolia testinin basitleştirilmiş versiyonunun bulguları klinik veriler toplanarak genişletilebilir. Örneğin, aynı prosedür Lewy cisimli demans veya Alzhemir hastalığı olan klinik hastalarda uygulamak mümkün olabilir.

Purpose: With the benefits of advanced medical technology, Taiwan has gradually changed from an aged society to a super-aged society. According to previous studies, the prevalence rate of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) over the age of 60 is 15% to 20%. Therefore, the main purpose of our study was to analyze the correlation of cognitive function with visual function (specifically, binocular vision and visual perception) in Taiwanese volunteers aged 60 years or older. Methods: Thirty-six healthy participants who were not taking psychiatric medications and who had not been diagnosed with any retinal or optic nerve diseases were enrolled. Addenbrooke’s cognitive examination III (ACE-III), binocular visual function, and visual perception evaluation were performed, and the data analyzed statistically by t-test, χ2, linear regression, and MANOVA. Results: Cognitive function was closely correlated with visual function and visual perception; the horizontal adjustment time of binocular eye movement, stereopsis, the motor-free visual perception test-4 (MVPT-4), and peripheral awareness actually displayed higher explanatory power in predicting cognitive function. In addition, various interactive parameters between visual function and visual perception were found to affect specific aspects of ACE-III. Discussion: Our study revealed that there was a close correlation of cognitive function with visual function; as such, it may be possible to predict visual function deficits in patients with mild cognitive impairment.

Purpose - As occupational therapists embrace evidence-informed and occupation-centred practice, the use of standardised visual perceptual tests remains a strong feature of typical paediatric practice. Yet, the research evidence for the use of such tools is inconclusive at best. This study compared the results of the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills (TVPS) with a checklist of reported functional difficulties in 30 children attending occupational therapy. The purpose of this paper was to determine the usefulness of visual perceptual testing in relation to occupation-centred practice. Design/methodology/approach - A descriptive correlational study design was used. Participants were 30 primary school-age children who were on a paediatric occupational therapy caseload. An additional 30 typically developing children participated in the development of the checklist. Findings - Correlations were found between reported functional visual skill difficulties and two subtests of the TVPS (visual memory and visual discrimination). No correlation was found between the reported functional difficulties and any of the other five subtests of the TVPS or the total score. Originality/value - Results highlight the weak relationship that existed in this study between standardised measures of visual perception, as measured by the TVPS, and functional difficulties. Therapists are cautioned to explore both the evidence base for continued use of standardised visual perceptual measures to inform occupation-centred practice and the need to embrace a more comprehensive person-centred approach to visual perceptual assessment.