Visual Perception Lab - Cognitive Neurosciences

Research fields-Introduction

Our scientific discipline is cognitive neuroscience, and my research focuses on the psychological and neural properties of the human visual system.

the work in the lab is designed to elucidate the brain mechanisms giving rise to perception of objects and scenes and in turn, to visually guided behavior. Visual perception is a dynamic process, continuously shaped by the interplay between the physical, objective properties of the visual input projected on the retina, and other more subjective factors, such as prior experience, attentional and mental states.

In our research we explore this fascinating interplay from two related perspectives. First, we interested in understanding the mechanisms underlying the representation of visual information, both as mediated by the visual cortex but also in the way visual cortex interacts with other brain regions. Second, we interested in understanding the neural mechanisms giving rise to subjective, conscious experience.

In this latter context, we utilize object perception as a powerful platform for manipulating conscious visual experience in a controlled manner, which enables us to study directly the relation between brain mechanisms and subjective experience of perception.

We investigate these issues by combining functional magnetic resonance imaging –fMRI, eye tracking and behavioral techniques, and by studying healthy individuals as well as individuals with specific neuropsychological deficits affecting various aspects of perception.

we hope that the research in the lab will able us to know and understand more about the human visual system, involved brain areas and visual perception.