Data: Similar neural and perceptual masking effects of low-power optogenetic stimulation in primate V1

Can direct stimulation of primate V1 substitute for a visual stimulus and mimic its perceptual effect? To address this question, we developed an optical-genetic toolkit to “read” neural population responses using widefield calcium imaging, while simultaneously using optogenetics to “write” neural responses into V1 of behaving macaques. We focused on the phenomenon of visual masking, where detection of a dim target is significantly reduced by a co-localized medium-brightness pedestal. Using our toolkit, we tested whether V1 optogenetic stimulation can recapitulate the perceptual masking effect of a visual pedestal. We find that, similar to a visual pedestal, low-power optostimulation can significantly reduce visual detection sensitivity, that a sublinear interaction between visual and optogenetic evoked V1 responses could account for this perceptual effect, and that these neural and behavioral effects are spatially selective. Our toolkit and results open the door for further exploration of perceptual substitutions by direct stimulation of sensory cortex.

灵长类初级视觉皮层（primary visual cortex, V1）的直接刺激，能否替代视觉刺激并复刻其知觉效应？为解答这一问题，我们开发了一套光遗传工具包：在通过宽场钙成像“读取”神经群体响应的同时，利用光遗传学技术向进行行为实验的猕猴V1区“写入”神经活动。我们聚焦于视觉掩蔽现象——当微弱目标与同位置的中等亮度掩蔽基座同时呈现时，目标的检测性能会显著下降。借助该工具包，我们测试了V1区的光遗传刺激是否能够复刻视觉基座所引发的知觉掩蔽效应。我们发现：与视觉基座类似，低功率光遗传刺激可显著降低视觉检测灵敏度；视觉诱发与光遗传诱发的V1区神经响应之间的亚线性相互作用，或可解释这一知觉效应；且上述神经与行为效应均具有空间选择性。本研究的工具包与实验结果，为通过直接刺激感觉皮层探索知觉替代方案打开了新的研究大门。