Cortical processing at the center-of-gaze

SUMMARY Almost nothing is known about the mechanisms of vision at the center-of-gaze, and yet that knowledge is fundamental to understanding how vision works. For example, our visual perception seems to be at the resolution that is only achievable at the center-of-gaze (or "fovea"), with eye- movements constantly redirecting the fovea to regions of interest. Thus, this knowledge of how the primary visual cortex (V1) processes this information has obvious basic science relevance, as well as potential clinical relevance. The proposed work overcomes myriad technical challenges to provide the first detailed look at the how the foveal V1 processes visual information, using recordings in the macaque monkey, the most common model of human trichromatic vision. The work involves both methodological and intellectual innovation; it will be the product of a team approach that unites scientists with the required computational and empirical expertise. Because almost all knowledge of the visual system is based outside of the fovea, we hypothesize to discover new mechanisms of visual processing dictated by the unique constraints of processing high-acuity color vision.