Neuroimaging of Vision - PSY00028M

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Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Semester 1 2025-26

Module aims

Vision begins with light waves exciting the photoreceptors in the retina. From this the visual brain creates an idea of what lies outside. But that basic perception is not the brain's finished product. The final construct is a perception that is invested with meaning. The meanings we attach to our perceptions are usually useful - they transform mere patterns of light into objects we can use, people we can love, places we can go. But sometimes they are misleading: the pool of water in the desert turns out to be a mirage; the axeman in the dark corner a mere shadow. This module will show how modern neuroimaging techniques are beginning to contribute to our understanding of how the visual brain allows us to see the world.

Module learning outcomes

• Critically evaluate how different neuroimaging techniques can be used to understand the organization of the visual brain.
• Compare and contrast different approaches to understanding functional selectivity in visual cortex.
• Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of how different aspects of the visual scene are processed in the visual system
• Critically evaluate how regions of the visual brain are involved in attention
• Compare and contrast how different regions of the visual brain contribute to consciousness

Module content

1. Maps of the visual world
2. Functional specialization in the visual brain
3. From maps to modules - how to we we recognize complex objects?
4. How are faces represented in visual cortex?
5. Neural mechanisms of attention and selective perception
6. Visual cortex and awareness
7. Neural correlates of visual consciousness

Indicative assessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100

Module feedback

The marks on all assessed work will be provided on e-vision.

Indicative reading

Sample Reading:

Cognitive Neuroscience by Michael S. Gazzaniga, Richard B. Ivry and George R. Mangun.