The coherence theory: simple attentional modulation effects

We present a novel method of achieving attentional modulation effects, based on the spatial coherence of the stimulus. Such modulator effects are known to occur also at low levels in the visual cortical pathway. We use temporal coding rather than rate-based coding. The temporal coding is biologically plausible and also proves to be noise resistant. Synchrony and asynchrony are estimated in an ultra-rapid fashion, the competition between them leading to attentional modulator effects. Our "Coherence Theory" as a new way of understanding neural processing offers the theoretical framework for our findings. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.