Cortical depth dependent population receptive field attraction by spatial attention in human V1

ABSTRACT Visual spatial attention concentrates neural resources at the attended location. Recently, we demonstrated that voluntary spatial attention attracts population receptive fields (pRFs) toward its location throughout the visual hierarchy. Theoretically, both a feed forward or feedback mechanism could underlie pRF attraction in a given cortical area. Here, we use sub‐millimeter ultra‐high field functional MRI to measure pRF attraction across cortical depth and assess the contribution of feed forward and feedback signals to pRF attraction. In line with previous findings, we find consistent attraction of pRFs with voluntary spatial attention in V1. When assessed as a function of cortical depth, we find pRF attraction in every cortical portion (deep, center and superficial), although the attraction is strongest in deep cortical portions (near the gray‐white matter boundary). Following the organization of feed forward and feedback processing across V1, we speculate that a mixture of feed forward and feedback processing underlies pRF attraction in V1. Specifically, we propose that feedback processing contributes to the pRF attraction in deep cortical portions. HIGHLIGHTSVoluntary spatial attention attracts population receptive fields (pRFs) in human V1.pRF attraction occurs throughout V1 and throughout the cortical thickness.pRF attraction is stronger near the gray/white matter boundary in V1.We suggest both feed forward and feedback processing underlie pRF attraction.We suggest that feedback signals arrive in deep cortical layers.

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