7 research outputs found
Binding binding: Departure points for a different version of the perceptual retouch theory
In the perceptual retouch theory, masking and related microgenetic phenomena were
explained as a result of interaction between specific cortical representational
systems and the non-specific sub-cortical modulation system. Masking appears as
deprivation of sufficient modulation of the consciousness mechanism suffered by
the target-specific signals because of the temporal delay of non-specific
modulation (necessary for conscious representation), which explicates the
later-coming mask information instead of the already decayed target information.
The core of the model envisaged relative magnitudes of EPSPs of single cortical
cells driven by target and mask signals at the moment when the nonspecific,
presynaptic, excitatory input arrives from the thalamus. In the light of the
current evidence about the importance of synchronised activity of specific and
non-specific systems in generating consciousness, the retouch theory requires
perhaps a different view. This article presents some premises for modification
of the retouch theory, where instead of the cumulative presynaptic spike
activities and EPSPs of single cells, the oscillatory activity in the gamma
range of the participating systems is considered and shown to be consistent with
the basic ideas of the retouch theory. In this conceptualisation, O-binding
refers to specific encoding which is based on gamma-band synchronised
oscillations in the activity of specific cortical sensory modules that represent
features and objects; C-binding refers to the gamma-band oscillations in the
activity of the non-specific thalamic systems, which is necessary for the
O-binding based data to become consciously experienced