自身运动认知的神经机制

通过光流信息来指导个体在环境中有效移动是我们视觉神经系统的一项核心任务。在灵长类的大脑皮层, 视觉运动的信息加工是由位于背侧通路的一系列脑区来完成的, 这一信息通路主要参与运动和空间动作的分析。在高级视皮层, 视觉系统很可能利用非视觉信息来补偿因眼动造成的光流模式扭曲, 以重建对自身运动方向的正确表征。根据目前研究进展, MST和VIP这两个位于顶叶的脑区都参与了自身运动认知过程, 并且对精确的自身运动方向判断是不可或缺的。本文系统介绍了近些年来在自身运动认知神经机制研究领域的进展, 尤其是神经生理学家们利用非人灵长类动物模型在自身运动认知皮层处理机制方面的成果。同时也提出了一些深入研究急需解决的关键问题。

Neural Mechanism of Self-motion Perception

Using optic flow signal to guide one’s effective movement through outside environment is one of the most important tasks of our visual system. In primate cerebral cortex, the processing of visual motion is attributed to a series of areas in the dorsal pathway, which is believed to be specialized in the analysis of motion and spatial actions. In high-order areas, it’s very likely that the visual system integrates visual and non-visual cues to compensate the distortion caused by eye movement, thus reconstructs the precise self-motion direction. Based on current research progress, two parietal areas, MST and VIP are involved in self-motion perception, and they are both necessary for precise heading direction estimation. This review systematically went through the most recent progress in the research field of neural mechanism of self-motion perception, especially focused on works done by neurophysiologist using non-human primate animal model. In the end, we also point out some important questions, which we think has to be answered in the near future investigation.