Visuospatial coding as ubiquitous scaffolding for human cognition

TY - JOUR

T1 - Visuospatial coding as ubiquitous scaffolding for human cognition

AU - Groen, Iris I A

AU - Dekker, Tessa M

AU - Knapen, Tomas

AU - Silson, Edward H

N1 - Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PY - 2022/1

Y1 - 2022/1

N2 - For more than 100 years we have known that the visual field is mapped onto the surface of visual cortex, imposing an inherently spatial reference frame on visual information processing. Recent studies highlight visuospatial coding not only throughout visual cortex, but also brain areas not typically considered visual. Such widespread access to visuospatial coding raises important questions about its role in wider cognitive functioning. Here, we synthesise these recent developments and propose that visuospatial coding scaffolds human cognition by providing a reference frame through which neural computations interface with environmental statistics and task demands via perception-action loops.

AB - For more than 100 years we have known that the visual field is mapped onto the surface of visual cortex, imposing an inherently spatial reference frame on visual information processing. Recent studies highlight visuospatial coding not only throughout visual cortex, but also brain areas not typically considered visual. Such widespread access to visuospatial coding raises important questions about its role in wider cognitive functioning. Here, we synthesise these recent developments and propose that visuospatial coding scaffolds human cognition by providing a reference frame through which neural computations interface with environmental statistics and task demands via perception-action loops.

U2 - 10.1016/j.tics.2021.10.011

DO - 10.1016/j.tics.2021.10.011

M3 - Article

C2 - 34799253

SN - 1364-6613

VL - 26

SP - 81

EP - 96

JO - Trends in Cognitive Sciences

JF - Trends in Cognitive Sciences

ER -