The massive expansion of cerebral cortex is a hallmark of the human brain. We know that the cortex plays an essential role in our perceptions and actions. Sensory inputs from the periphery are transformed in the cortex, allowing us to generate appropriate motor outputs. My lab studies the cortical circuitry and the computations that underlie such transformations, using vision as a model system.
Natural image and receptive field statistics predict saccade sizes
Nature Neuroscience. 2018 Volume 21 1591-1599
Here we describe and test the hypothesis that saccades are matched to natural scene statistics and to the receptive field sizes and adaptive properties of neural populations. Specifically, we determined the minimum amplitude of saccades in natural scenes necessary to provide uncorrelated inputs to model neural populations.
Feedforward mechanisms of cross-orientation interactions in mouse V1
Neuron. January 2022 110(2): 2022 297-311
Sensory neurons are modulated by context, including in mouse primary visual cortex, where responses to superimposed grating stimuli show diverse suppression and facilitation effects across the population.
Natural binocular depth discrimination behavior in mice explained by visual cortical activity
Current Biology. 2021 31(10), 2191–2198
Mouse visual cortex neurons are sensitive to binocular disparity; this study links that sensitivity to a natural depth-discrimination behavior modeled on classic visual cliff and pole descent tasks.
