双眼竞争研究现状与展望

Review on Binocular Rivalry

双眼竞争是指当双眼所呈现的图像不一致而无法形成单一、稳定的知觉进而造成知觉动态交替变化的现象,其研究已有近200年的历史,至今仍是神经科学、心理学、生理学和临床医学中的研究热点。该文阐述了双眼竞争的概念、常用测量指标;总结了双眼竞争的特点及对双眼竞争的影响因素;讨论了双眼竞争与其他形式的多稳态知觉间的关系。行为实验、脑成像和电生理实验分别揭示了双眼竞争的早期加工模型和晚期加工模型的不足之处,Tong等人综合各方面的实验结果提出了双眼竞争的多层次–混合加工理论模型,这一模型将早期加工和晚期加工模型有机地结合起来,对于研究视觉意识的神经机制具有重要的理论指导意义。在总结已有研究的基础上,该文明确指出了双眼竞争的可应用领域及未来的研究方向。

Binocular rivalry is a phenomenon of the dynamic alternations in perception that occur when different images are presented to the two eyes. It has been the subject of intensive investigation for nearly two centuries. The present paper reviewed the definition, the measuring indices in common use, the characteristics and influential factors of binocular rivalry. The relationship between binocular rivalry and the other multistable perception had been well described. Based on the psychophysical studies, newer imaging and electrophysiological research results, the low-level interocular competition between monocular neurons in the primary visual cortex （V1） or in the lateral geniculate nucleus （early processing model） and binocular rivalry transpires later in visual processing （later processing model） all had their own shortcomings to account for the results coming from different research fields and resolve the discrepancies. Finally, the new emerging hybrid model was introduced and which could account for the paradoxical properties of binocular rivalry and provide insights into the neural bases of visual awareness. Although unanswered questions remained, this review of binocular rivalry might allow us to focus on the mainly unresolved issues and controversies, and help us make use of it as a powerful tool to investigate the charming filed： unconsciousness.