Priming of Attentional Selection in Macaque Visual Cortex: Feature-Based Facilitation and Location-Based Inhibition of Return

Visual search performance varies with stimulus and response history. Priming of pop-out refers to increased accuracy and reduced response time with repeated presentation of particular singleton and distractor features (e.g., a red target among green distractor stimuli), which are abruptly impaired when singleton and distractor features swap (e.g., green target among red distractors). Meanwhile, inhibition of return refers to the slowing of response time when target location repeats. Neurophysiological correlates of both these phenomena have been reported in the frontal eye field (FEF), an area in the frontal lobe contributing to attentional selection and eye movement planning. To understand the mechanistic origin of these adaptive behaviors, we investigated visual cortical area V4, an area providing input to and receiving feedback from FEF, during feature-based priming of pop-out and location-based inhibition of return. Performing a color pop-out task, monkeys exhibited pronounced priming of pop-out and inhibition of return. Neural spiking from V4 revealed earlier target selection associated with priming of pop-out and delayed selection associated with inhibition of return. These results demonstrate substantial involvement of extrastriate visual cortex in behavioral priming and inhibition of return.