The role of V1 in shape representation
The analysis of higher level global visual attributes such as geometric shapes is thought to be a function of specialist modules in the extrastriate cortices. However, V1 is unique because only in this area can one find cells tuned to orientation and other local features with the spatial precision needed for representing high resolution and geometric aspects of an image. Geometric computation that demands such resolution may need to involve V1 via feedback. V1 neurons are known to exhibit very different types of responses in the short latency (40–80 milliseconds post-stimulus time window) versus longer latencies (80–200 milliseconds)1–5 Here we report that the later part of V1 neurons’ responses is sensitive to geometric attributes of globally defined shapes. We propose a computational interpretation of these results.