Contrast Discrimination in Awake Macaque with 7T MRI

Motivation: This research aims to investigate visual perception in awake macaques using 7T MRI, enhancing our comprehension of BOLD responses during a contrast discrimination task and developing a quantifiable method for neuromodulation. Goal(s): The specific objectives include directly observing BOLD responses at mesoscale during a contrast discrimination task. Approach: The study utilized 7T MRI while macaques performed a 2AFC task, allowing simultaneous stimulus presentation and BOLD response measurement. Results: The study successfully mapped BOLD responses during behavioral tasks, revealing contrast sensitivities in the visual cortex. Notably, it identified BOLD signal decreases in ambiguous contrast conditions, shedding light on perceptual uncertainty in stimulus discrimination. Impact: These findings may advance quantification of behavioral an neural processes, helping to bridged the gap between human non-invasive and monkey invasive studies.