The Human Brain in Depth: How We See in 3D

Annual Review of Vision Science
Andrew E Welchman

Abstract

Human perception is remarkably flexible: We experience vivid three-dimensional (3D) structure under diverse conditions, from the seemingly random magic-eye stereograms to the aesthetically beautiful, but obviously flat, canvases of the Old Masters. How does the brain achieve this apparently effortless robustness? Using brain imaging we are beginning to discover how different parts of the visual cortex support 3D perception by tracing different computations in the dorsal and ventral pathways. This review concentrates on studies of binocular disparity and its combination with other depth cues. This work suggests that the dorsal visual cortex is strongly engaged by 3D information and is involved in integrating signals to represent the structure of viewed surfaces. The ventral cortex may store representations of object configurations and the features required for task performance. These differences can be broadly understood in terms of the different computational demands of reducing estimator variance versus increasing the separation between exemplars.

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Citations

Mar 30, 2019·PLoS Biology·Marcelo ArmendarizWim Vanduffel
Oct 2, 2019·Biological cybernetics·Fangwen YuMichael Milford
Nov 19, 2019·Vision·Thomas V Papathomas, Patrick Hughes
Oct 22, 2019·Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience·Nicole H L WongDorita H F Chang
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Jun 26, 2020·Annual Review of Vision Science·Johannes Burge
Dec 11, 2019·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Vivek NityanandaJenny C A Read
Nov 16, 2018·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Hiroki OishiKaoru Amano
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Nov 23, 2019·Vision·Martin Lages, Suzanne Heron
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Jun 30, 2019·Nature Communications·Ronny RosnerJenny C A Read
Mar 30, 2021·Trends in Cognitive Sciences·Jacqueline C Snow, Jody C Culham
Jul 21, 2021·Annual Review of Vision Science·Jenny C A Read

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