Selective visual attention in a neurocomputational model of phase oscillators

Authors
Citation
Zh. Wu et Ak. Guo, Selective visual attention in a neurocomputational model of phase oscillators, BIOL CYBERN, 80(3), 1999, pp. 205-214
Citations number
52
Categorie Soggetti
Neurosciences & Behavoir
Journal title
BIOLOGICAL CYBERNETICS
ISSN journal
03401200 → ACNP
Volume
80
Issue
3
Year of publication
1999
Pages
205 - 214
Database
ISI
SICI code
0340-1200(199903)80:3<205:SVAIAN>2.0.ZU;2-9
Abstract
In order to understand the dynamic property of covert selective visual atte ntion, which is different from the proposed mechanism of the spotlight meta phor, a two-layered network of phase oscillators was developed. The first l ayer is related to the hippocampus and controls attention focus formation. The second layer is related to the visual cortex, and each cortical oscilla tor in it simulates an assembly of cells coding for a particular stimulus i n the sense of feature binding. Selective visual attention is interpreted a s the result of the emergent synchronization of hippocampus oscillators and a part of cortical oscillators. Numerical experiments are presented to ill ustrate attention focus formation and attention shifting from one set of st imuli to another. From a neurocomputational point of view, our results demo nstrate that attention is an emergent property of the dynamical cell assemb lies responding to the whole visual field.