Research data supporting "Ultra-high field neuroimaging reveals fine-scale processing for 3D perception"

Binocular disparity provides critical information about three-dimensional (3D) structure to support perception and action. The past decade has seen significant progress in uncovering human brain areas engaged in the processing of binocular disparity signals. Yet, the fine-scale brain processing underlying 3D perception remains unknown. Here, we use ultra-high field (7T) functional imagining at sub-millimetre resolution to examine fine-scale BOLD-fMRI signals involved in 3D perception. In particular, we sought to interrogate the local circuitry involved in disparity processing by sampling fMRI responses at different positions relative to the cortical surface (i.e., across cortical depths corresponding to layers). We test for representations related to 3D perception by presenting participants (male and female, N = 8) with stimuli that enable stable stereoscopic perception (i.e., correlated random dot stereograms: RDS) vs. those that do not (i.e., anti-correlated RDS). Using multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA), we demonstrate cortical depth-specific representations in area V3A and V7 as indicated by stronger pattern responses for correlated than anti-correlated stimuli in upper than deeper layers. Examining informational connectivity, we find higher feedforward layer-to-layer connectivity for correlated than anti-correlated stimuli between V3A and V7. Further, we observe disparity-specific feedback from V3A to V1 and from V7 to V3A. Our findings provide evidence for the role of V3A as a key nexus for disparity processing that is implicated in feedforward and feedback signals related to the perceptual estimation of 3D structure. See the file 'Description of uploaded data' for a detailed description of the dataset