Reproducing sensory induced hallucinations via neural fields

TL;DR

This paper introduces a theoretical framework to reproduce sensory-induced visual hallucinations in the primary visual cortex, providing insights into perceptual phenomena like the MacKay effect and related experiences.

Contribution

The work presents a novel neural field model that captures pattern formation in V1, reproducing psychophysical hallucination phenomena.

Findings

Reproduces the MacKay effect using the neural field model

Simulates Billock and Tsou experiences in visual cortex

Provides a theoretical basis for understanding sensory-induced hallucinations

Abstract

Understanding sensory-induced cortical patterns in the primary visual cortex V1 is an important challenge both for physiological motivations and for improving our understanding of human perception and visual organisation. In this work, we focus on pattern formation in the visual cortex when the cortical activity is driven by a geometric visual hallucination-like stimulus. In particular, we present a theoretical framework for sensory-induced hallucinations which allows one to reproduce novel psychophysical results such as the MacKay effect (Nature, 1957) and the Billock and Tsou experiences (PNAS, 2007).