Motion-sensitive neurones in V5/MT modulate perceived spatial position

Until recently, it was widely believed that object position and object motion were represented independently in the visual cortex. However, several studies have shown that adaptation to motion produces substantial shifts in the perceived position of subsequently viewed stationary objects. Two stages of motion adaptation have been proposed: an initial stage at the level of V1 and a secondary stage thought to be located in V5/MT. Indeed, selective adaptation can be demonstrated at each of these levels of motion analysis. What remains unknown is which of these cortical sites are involved in modulating the positional representation of subsequently viewed objects. To answer this question directly, we disrupted cortical activity by using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) immediately after motion adaptation. When TMS was delivered to V5/MT after motion adaptation, the perceived offset of the test stimulus was greatly reduced. In marked contrast, TMS of V1 had no effect on the changes that normally occur in perceived position after motion adaptation. This result demonstrates that the anatomical locus at which motion and positional information interact is area V5/MT rather than V1/V2.