Research

How does the brain organize it’s processing in time, and how does this influence our thoughts and behaviors?

Our group has uncovered how specific brain rhythms, and differences in these rhythms between people, play a role in our subjective experience of the world.

Representative Publications

Deodato M, Melcher D. (2024) Aperiodic EEG predicts variability of visual temporal processing, Journal of Neuroscience, in press.

Deodato M, Ronconi L, Melcher D. (2024) Schizotypal traits and anomalous perceptual experiences are associated with greater visual temporal acuity, Schizophrenia Research, in press.

Deodato M, Melcher D. (2024) Correlations between visual temporal resolution and individual alpha peak frequency: Evidence that internal and measurement noise drives null findings, Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience,36, 590-601. doi: 10.1162/jocn_a_01993

Ronconi L, Balestrieri E, Baldauf D, Melcher D. (2024) Distinct cortical networks subserve spatio-temporal sampling in vision through different oscillatory rhythms. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 36, 572-589. doi: 10.1162/jocn_a_02006

Drewes J, Muschter E, Zhu W, Melcher D. (2022) Individual resting-state alpha peak frequency and within-trial changes in alpha peak frequency both predict visual flash segregation performance. Cerebral Cortex, 32(23), 5455–5466 doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhac026

Wutz A, Melcher D, Samaha J (2018) Frequency modulation of neural oscillations according to visual task demands. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115 (6) 1346-1351.

Ronconi L, Oosterhof N, Bonmassar C & Melcher D (2017) Multiple oscillatory rhythms determine the temporal organization of perception. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(51):13435-13440.

Wutz A, Muschter E, van Koningsbruggen MG, Weisz N & Melcher D (2016) Temporal integration windows in neural processing and perception aligned to saccadic eye movements. Current Biology, 26, 1-10.

Wutz A., Weisz N., Braun C. & Melcher D. (2014). Temporal windows in visual processing: ‘Pre-stimulus brain state’ and ‘post-stimulus phase reset’ segregate visual transients on different temporal scales. Journal of Neuroscience, 34(4), 1554-65.

How does the brain use past experience to predict the future?

Our group has been at the forefront of efforts to investigate the role of active mechanisms (predictive changes in way that visual input is turned into percepts that take into account eye movements) in visual stability. We are currently doing behavioral and neuroimaging studies to better elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Representative Publications

Liu X, Melcher D, Carrasco M, Hanning N. The extrafoveal preview effect is more pronounced where perception is poor, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, in press.

Huber-Huber C, Buonocore A, Melcher D. (2021) The extrafoveal preview paradigm as a measure of predictive, active sampling in visual perception. Journal of Vision, 6;21(7):12, doi: 10.1167/jov.21.7.12

Buonocore A, Dimigen O, Melcher D (2020) Post-saccadic face processing is modulated by pre-saccadic preview: Evidence from fixation-related potentials. Journal of Neuroscience, 40 (11) 2305-2313.

Fabius JH, Fracasso A, Van der Stigchel S, Melcher D (2020) Low-level information is maintained across saccades, allowing for a soft hand-off between visual areas. Journal of Neuroscience, 40 (49), 9476-9486

Fairhall SL, Schwarzbach J, Lingnau A, Van Koningsbruggen M & Melcher D. (2017). Spatiotopic updating across saccades revealed by spatially-specific fMRI adaptation. Neuroimage, 147:339-345.

Melcher, D. (2011) Visual stability. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B., 366, 468-475.

De Pisapia, N., Kaunitz, L. & Melcher, D. (2010) Backward masking and unmasking across saccadic eye movements. Current Biology, 20, 613-7.

Melcher, D. & Colby, C.L. (2008) Trans-saccadic perception. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 12, 466-73.

Melcher, D. (2007) Predictive re-mapping of visual features precedes saccadic eye movements. Nature Neuroscience, 10, 903-7.

Melcher, D. & Morrone, M.C. (2003) Spatiotopic temporal integration of visual motion across saccadic eye movements. Nature Neuroscience, 6, 877-881.

Melcher, D. (2001) Persistence of visual memory for scenes. Nature, 412, 401.

What is an object and why are they so important for our understanding of the world?

In his seminal article, George Miller noted that there is a “magic number” of chunks which we can process at one time. When we look at a crowded scene, like a dinner table, the number of items which we can select as unique individuals is limited to about 3 to 5 items. We have shown how capacity limits and “objects” emerge naturally out of the spatial and temporal properties of object maps in parietal cortex.

Representative Publications

Knops A, Piazza M, Sengupta R, Eger E, Melcher D (2014). A shared, flexible neural map architecture reflects capacity limits in both visual short term memory and enumeration. Journal of Neuroscience, in press.

Wutz A., Weisz N., Braun C. & Melcher D. (2014). Temporal windows in visual processing: ‘Pre-stimulus brain state’ and ‘post-stimulus phase reset’ segregate visual transients on different temporal scales. Journal of Neuroscience, 34(4), 1554-65.

Wutz, A. & Melcher, D. (2013) Temporal buffering and visual capacity: the time course of object formation underlies capacity limits in visual cognition. Attention, Perception & Psychophysics, 75(5): 921-933.

Melcher, D. & Piazza, M. (2011) The role of attentional priority and saliency in determining capacity limits in enumeration and visual working memory. PLoS One, 6(12) : e29296

Piazza M, Fumarola A, Chinello A, Melcher D. (2011) Subitizing reflects visuo- spatial object individuation capacity. Cognition, 121(1):147-53.

We look at so many things every day, which ones do we remember and why?

What is the nature of what we remember while looking around complex, realistic scenes? How does what we remember interact with our attention and perception?

Representative Publications

Subramanian R., Shankar D., Sebe N. & Melcher D. (2014) Emotion modulates eye movement patterns and subsequent memory for the gist and details of movie scenes. Journal of Vision, in press.

Melcher, D. (2010) Accumulating and remembering the details of neutral and emotional scenes. Perception, 39(8), 1011-1025.

Tatler, B. & Melcher, D. (2007) Pictures in mind: Initial encoding of object properties varies with the realism of the scene stimulus. Perception, 36, 1715-29.

Melcher, D. (2006) Accumulation and persistence of memory for natural scenes. Journal of Vision, 6, 8-17.

Melcher, D. (2001) Persistence of visual memory for scenes. Nature, 412, 401.

Melcher, D. & Kowler, E. (2001) Visual scene memory and the guidance of saccadic eye movements. Vision Research, 41, 3597-3611.

What is the link between attention and awareness?

Paying attention to something—selecting a particular object, location, feature or time period out of all the possible ones—changes the way that we perceive the world. We are investigating the mechanisms of attention, the role of awareness in guiding behavior, and the interaction between attention and awareness.

Representative Publications

Ronconi L, Maniglia M, Battaglini L & Melcher D. (2021) Editorial: Neural modulation of conscious perception: Emergent approaches from basic research to clinical translation. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 779798

Kaunitz, L., Fracasso, A., Lingnau, A. & Melcher D. (2013) Non-conscious processing of motion coherence can boost conscious access. PLoS One. 8(4):e60787.

Kaunitz, L.N., Fracasso, A. & Melcher, D. (2011) Unseen complex motion is modulated by attention and generates a visual aftereffect. Journal of Vision, 11(13), 10. DOI: 10.1167/11.13.10.

Alais, D. & Melcher, D. (2007) Strength and coherence of binocular rivalry depends on shared stimulus complexity. Vision Research, 47, 269-79.

Melcher, D. (2005) When the brain doesn’t see eye to eye. Trends in Cognitive Science, 9, 216-217.

Melcher, D., Papathomas, T.V. & Vidnyanszky, Z. (2005) Implicit attentional selection of bound visual features. Neuron, 46, 723-729.

Neuroscience and the Arts

We are investigating the underpinnings of emotional, embodied and “aesthetic” responses to various types of artworks and performances, as well as how it relates to our cognitive ability to be “creative” in the arts and everyday life.

Representative Publications

Bacci, F. and Melcher, D., Editors (2011) Art and the Senses, Oxford University Press. ISBN13: 9780199230600; ISBN10: 0199230609 (now in its second printing in a paperback edition)

Melcher, D. & Bacci F. (2013) Perception of emotion in abstract artworks: a multidisciplinary approach. Progress in Brain Research, 204:191-216.

Melcher, D. & Bacci, F. (2008) The visual system as a constraint on the survival and success of specific artworks. Spatial Vision (special issue on Vision and Art), 21, 347-62.

Melcher, D. & Wade, N. (2006) Cave art interpretation II. Perception, 35, 719-22. Wade, N. & Melcher, D. (2006) Cave art interpretation I. Perception, 35, 577-80.