The role of visuospatial coding in structuring visual perception, memory and their interaction

Event details

For more than 100 years we have known that the visual field is mapped onto the surface of visual cortex, imposing an inherently visuospatial reference frame on visual information processing. Recent studies highlight visuospatial coding not only throughout visual cortex, but also brain areas not typically considered visual. Such widespread access to visuospatial coding raises important questions about its role in wider cognitive functioning. This talk will be broken down into three (unequal) parts. In the first part, I will briefly introduce the idea of visuospatial coding and the current ways we believe the brain codes it. In the second part, I will present work from my group and our collaborators that highlights the role of visuospatial coding in structuring the organisation of visual cortex. In the final part, I will introduce our more recent work that suggests visuospatial coding also plays a role in structuring the organisation of memory regions in cortex and how it offers a framework for understanding how the brain integrates information from internally and externally orientated sources effectively.