Brain Research· 2026Q2
Anticipated relevance prepares visual processing for efficient memory-guided selection
- 3citations
- Q2SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Anticipating stimulus relevance enhances visual processing even before stimulus presentation, preparing the visual system for efficient memory-guided selection.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Predictable changes in stimulus relevance proactively enhance visual processing before stimulus onset.
- Relevant probes evoke stronger univariate responses and more distinct neural responses compared to irrelevant probes.
- Rapid invisible frequency tagging (RIFT) revealed enhanced visual responses at probe locations prior to relevant stimuli.
- Anticipation of stimulus relevance enables proactive preparation for memory-guided visual selection.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Finding an object typically involves using working memory to select relevant visual information at the right time. Using EEG, we investigated how predictable changes in stimulus relevance influence top-down visual selection. Participants memorized an oriented grating, followed by a cue indicating which of two sequentially presented probes was relevant for a memory-match/-mismatch judgment. Consistent with earlier work, relevant probes evoked stronger univariate responses than irrelevant probes. Furthermore, responses to (memory-matching and memory-mismatching) probes were more distinct when they were relevant compared to irrelevant. Crucially, using rapid invisible frequency tagging (RIFT), we found that visual responses to the (empty) probe location were enhanced even before the presentation of relevant (compared to irrelevant) probes. Predictable changes in stimulus relevance, therefore, induce both pro-active and re-active changes in visual processing. We conclude that anticipating the (ir)relevance of upcoming visual events enables the visual system to prepare for efficient memory-guided visual selection.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Brain Research, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Cognitive Neuroscience
Cognitive NeuroscienceNeuroscience