J Neurosci. 2026 Aug 19:e0325262026. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0325-26.2026. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Human vision efficiently navigates information-dense environments by extracting summary statistics-the average properties of item groups-to circumvent capacity limits. However, the neural transition from location-specific sensory registration to location-invariant abstract representation remains poorly understood. We recorded high-density EEG while participants of either sex performed an ensemble size discrimination task, using time-resolved multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) and cross-visual-field generalization to dissociate these two levels of representation. Our results reveal a clear temporal hierarchy: location-specific ensemble size information emerged as early as ∼40 ms post-stimulus, significantly preceding the onset of location-generalized, abstract representation at ∼89 ms. During the early location-specific decoding phase, we observed a distinct left-visual-field advantage, with higher neural decoding accuracy predicting superior behavioral precision. Critically, error trials were characterized by premature neural generalization, suggesting an inherent trade-off: while abstraction is essential for efficient summarization, sacrificing sensory fidelity too early impairs perceptual accuracy. Furthermore, distinct oscillatory mechanisms supported this transformation-low-frequency (delta/theta) activity underpinned location-specific encoding, whereas mid-frequency (alpha/beta) oscillations robustly sustained location-invariant abstraction. Individual differences in the strength of these late-stage location-specific and location-invariant representations were predictable from intrinsic resting-state occipito-parietal gamma power. Together, these findings provide a comprehensive neural model of ensemble perception, demonstrating that the brain constructs abstract summary statistics through a temporally ordered, spectrally specific transformation that balances sensory fidelity with representational abstractionSignificance Statement How the brain transforms complex sensory input into simplified summary statistics-like the average size of a group-is fundamental to efficient vision. This study reveals a critical temporal and spectral hierarchy in this process. Using high-density EEG and multivariate analysis, we show that the brain first registers ensemble information at specific locations before transforming it into a location-invariant, abstract representation. We demonstrate that premature abstraction leads to perceptual errors, suggesting a vital balance between sensory detail and abstract summary. Furthermore, we identify distinct neural oscillations that coordinate this transformation. These findings provide a new model for how the human brain constructs stable, abstract representations from a dynamic and cluttered visual world.
PMID:42618511 | DOI:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0325-26.2026
