Visual search is a fundamental human behavior, providing a gateway to understanding other sensory domains as well as the role of search in higher-order cognition. Search has been proposed to include two component processes: inefficient search (Search) and efficient search (Pop-out). According to extant research, these two processes map onto two separable neural systems located in the frontal and parietal association cortices. In this study, we use intracranial recordings from 23 participants to delineate the neural correlates of Search and Pop-out with an unprecedented combination of spatiotemporal resolution and coverage across cortical and subcortical structures. First, we demonstrate a role for the medial temporal lobe in visual search, on par with engagement in frontal and parietal association cortex. Second, we show a gradient of increasing engagement over anatomical space from dorsal to ventral lateral frontal cortex. Third, we confirm previous intracranial work demonstrating nearly complete overlap in neural engagement across cortical regions in Search and Pop-out. We further demonstrate Pop-out selectivity, manifesting as activity increase in Pop-out as compared to Search, in a distributed set of sites including frontal cortex. This result is at odds with the view that Pop-out is implemented in low-level visual cortex or parietal cortex alone. Finally, we affirm a central role for the right lateral frontal cortex in Search.

中文翻译：

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颅内记录显示皮质和内侧颞叶参与人类视觉搜索。

视觉搜索是一种基本的人类行为，为理解其他感官领域以及搜索在高阶认知中的作用提供了途径。已经提出搜索包括两个组成过程：低效搜索（Search）和高效搜索（Pop-out）。根据现有研究，这两个过程映射到位于额叶和顶叶联合皮层的两个可分离的神经系统。在这项研究中，我们使用来自 23 名参与者的颅内记录来描绘搜索和弹出的神经关联，并以前所未有的时空分辨率和跨皮层和皮层下结构的覆盖范围组合。首先，我们展示了内侧颞叶在视觉搜索中的作用，与额叶和顶叶联合皮层的参与相当。第二，我们显示了从背侧到腹侧外侧额叶皮层的解剖空间的参与度增加的梯度。第三，我们证实了之前的颅内工作证明了搜索和弹出中跨皮质区域的神经参与几乎完全重叠。我们进一步证明了弹出选择性，表现为在包括额叶皮层在内的一组分布式站点中，与搜索相比，弹出的活动增加。这一结果与 Pop-out 仅在低级视觉皮层或顶叶皮层中实现的观点不一致。最后，我们确认右侧额叶皮层在搜索中的核心作用。我们进一步证明了弹出选择性，表现为在包括额叶皮层在内的一组分布式站点中，与搜索相比，弹出的活动增加。这一结果与 Pop-out 仅在低级视觉皮层或顶叶皮层中实现的观点不一致。最后，我们确认右侧额叶皮层在搜索中的核心作用。我们进一步证明了弹出选择性，表现为在包括额叶皮层在内的一组分布式站点中，与搜索相比，弹出的活动增加。这一结果与 Pop-out 仅在低级视觉皮层或顶叶皮层中实现的观点不一致。最后，我们确认右侧额叶皮层在搜索中的核心作用。