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bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.08.29.748029

A cognitive representation in primary visual cortex modulated by vision

Lee, K. H.·Adenekan, P.·Gao, F.·Zhou, J.·Hernandez, J.·Yorita, A.·Haque, R.·Kay, K.·Scanziani, M.·Frank, L.
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Abstract

Primary visual cortex (V1) is a critical substrate for mammalian vision. Traditionally, visual inputs are thought to be the main drivers of V1 activity, with internal signals playing a modulatory role. Here we show that this relationship is inverted for a large fraction of V1 neurons. In rats completing a navigation task in darkness, these neurons encoded progress along physically distinct paths with a shared turn structure. Under illumination, visual stimuli gain-modulated this path-invariant activity rather than replacing it with stimulus-driven responses. Path-invariant V1 neurons were also preferentially coordinated with hippocampal ensembles during sharp-wave ripples, linking them to a brain-wide network involved in learning. These findings establish that an internal model of the world can serve as a primary driver of activity in sensory cortex.

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Lee, K. H., Adenekan, P., Gao, F., Zhou, J., Hernandez, J., Yorita, A., Haque, R., Kay, K., Scanziani, M., Frank, L.. 2026-09-03. A cognitive representation in primary visual cortex modulated by vision. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.08.29.748029

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