Tyler Lab
Christopher Tyler
Senior Scientist, Director: The Smith-Kettlewell Brain Imaging Center
Degrees: B.A., M.Sc., Ph.D., D.Sc.
My research centers on human visual neuroscience and computational vision, especially in the areas of stereoscopic depth, form, symmetry, and motion perception in adults, and the development of noninvasive tests for the diagnosis of eye diseases in infants and adults. The current focus of the lab is on theoretical, psychophysical, oculomotor and fMRI studies of the integration of cues to the full scope of 3D depth perception. We are particularly interested in the normal capabilities of binocular eye movement control and its disruption by forms of traumatic brain injury.
Tabs
Journal Articles
. (2022). Multi-level control of adaptive camouflage by European cuttlefish. Current Biology. http://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.04.030
. (2022). Brain trauma impacts retinal processing: photoreceptor pathway interactions in traumatic light sensitivity. Documenta Ophthalmologica, 144, 1–12. http://doi.org/doi.org/10.1007/s10633-022-09871-1
. (2022). Self-regulation of the seat of attention Into various attentional stances facilitates access to cognitive and emotional resources: An EEG study. Frontiers In Psychology, 13, 810780–810780. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.810780
. (2022). The Nature of Illusions: A New Synthesis Based on Verifiability. Frontiers In Human Neuroscience, 16. http://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2022.875829
. (2021). The Interstitial Pathways as the Substrate of Consciousness: A New Synthesis. Entropy, 23, 1443. http://doi.org/doi.org/10.3390/e23111443
. (2021). A gain-control disparity energy model for perceived depth from disparity. Vision Research, 181, 38–46.
. (2020). An Accelerated Cue Combination Principle Accounts for Multi-cue Depth Perception. Journal Of Perceptual Imaging, 3, 10501–1.
. (2020). The Intersection of Visual Science and Art in Renaissance Italy. Perception, 49, 1265–1282.
. (2018). Comparative tensor-based morphometry of human brainstem in traumatic photophobia. Nature: Scientific Reports, (6256). Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-24386-z
. (2018). When light hurts: Comparative morphometry of human brainstem in traumatic photalgia. Nature Scientific Reports, 8(1):6256. http://doi.org/doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-24386-z
. (2018). Does colour filling-in account for colour perception in natural images?. I-Perception, 9, 2041669518768829.
. (2017). Studying the Retinal Source of Photophobia by Facial Electroretinography. Optometry And Vision Science, 94(4). http://doi.org/10.1097/OPX.0000000000001064 PMID: 28338564
. (2016). The Cortical Network for Braille Writing in the Blind. Electronic Imaging, 2016, 1–6. http://doi.org/10.2352/ISSN.2470-1173.2016.16.HVEI-095 PMID: 28890944 PMCID: PMC5589194
. (2016). Fundamental anti-symmetries in the brain organization of conceptual knowledge representation help resolve long-standing controversies. Journal Of Vision., (16(12).
. (2016). Editorial:“Neural signal estimation in the human brain”. Frontiers In Neuroscience, 10, 185. http://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2016.00185 PMID: 27199647 PMCID: PMC4850329
. (2016). Neural Signal Estimation in the Human Brain. Frontiers In Neuroscience, (979). http://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2016.00185
. (2015). Analysis of Neural-BOLD Coupling Through Four Models of the Neural Metabolic Demand. Frontiers In Neuroscience, 9. http://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2015.00419
. (2015). Consequences of Traumatic Brain Injury for Human Vergence Dynamics. Frontiers In Neurology, 5. http://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2014.00282
. (2015). Deficits in the activation of human oculomotor nuclei in chronic traumatic brain injury. Frontiers In Neurology, 6(173), 9. http://doi.org/doi: 10.3389/fneur.2015.00173
. (2015). Effect of familiarity on Braille writing and reading in the blind: From graphemes to comprehension. Journal Of Vision, 15, 920–920. http://doi.org/10.1167/15.12.920
. (2012). 3D discomfort from vertical and torsional disparities in natural images. Is&T/Spie Electronic Imaging. Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.1117/12.915466
. (2012). Analysis of human vergence dynamics. Journal Of Vision, 12(11)(21), 1-19. http://doi.org/10.1167/12.11.21
. (2012). The role of the visual arts in enhancing the learning process. Frontiers In Human Neuroscience, 6. http://doi.org/ 10.3389/fnhum.2012.00008
. (2011). Estimating neural signal dynamics in the human brain. Frontiers In Systems Neuroscience, 5. http://doi.org/ 10.3389/fnsys.2011.00033
. (2010). An Algebra for the Analysis of Object Encoding. Neuroimage, 50, 1243–1250. http://doi.org/doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.10.091
. (2008). Occipital network for figure/ground organization. Experimental Brain Research, 189, 257–267. http://doi.org/ 10.1007/s00221-008-1417-6
. (2007). Crowding: A neuro-analytic approach. Journal Of Vision, Http:// Journalofvision.org/7/2/16/ , 7(2)(16). http://doi.org/10.1167/7.2.16
. (2007). Stereomotion processing in the human occipital cortex. Neuroimage, 38, 293–305. http://doi.org/org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.06.039
. (2006). The specificity of cortical region KO to depth structure. Neuroimage, 30, 228–238. http://doi.org/doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2005.09.067
. (2005). Extended concepts of occipital retinotopy. Current Medical Imaging Reviews, 1, 319–329. http://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157340505774574772
. (2005). Transient-based image segmentation: top-down surround suppression in human V1. Is&T/Spie Electronic Imaging. Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.1117/12.610865
. (2004). Is the hMT+/V5 complex in the human brain involved in stereomotion perception? An fMRI study. Electronic Imaging 2004. http://doi.org/10.1117/12.568026
. (2004). Predominantly extra-retinotopic cortical response to pattern symmetry. Neuroimage, 24, 306–314. http://doi.org/doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2004.09.018
. (2003). Failure of stereomotion capture in an object disappearance paradigm. Is&T/Spie Electronic Imaging. Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.1117/12.485517
. (2003). Peak localization of sparsely sampled luminance patterns is based on interpolated 3D surface representation. Vision Research, 43, 2649–2657. http://doi.org/org/10.1016/S0042-6989(02)00575-8
. (2003). Spatiotemporal relationships in a dynamic scene: stereomotion induction and suppression. Journal Of Vision, 3. http://doi.org/10.1167/3.4.5
. (2002). The unique criterion constraint: a false alarm?. Nature Neuroscience, 5, 707; author reply 707-8.
. (1981). Specific deficits of flicker sensitivity in glaucoma and ocular hypertension. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 20(2), 204-212.
. (1979). Rapid assessment of visual function: an electronic sweep technique for the pattern visual evoked potential. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 18, 703-713.
Conference Papers
. (2021). Multipurpose spatiomotor capture system for haptic and visual training and testing in the blind and the sighted. In IS&T Human Vision and Electronic Imaging Proceedings.
Presentations/Posters
. (2019). Top-down control of spatial memory visualization in early visual cortex. Retrieved from VSS, Fl
. (2018). Memory Visualization and spatial learning. Retrieved from Nano-symposium at SfN
. (2016). High-order multisensory mechanisms: Insights from Braille writing and reading. Retrieved from IS&T Int Symp Electron Imaging
Other Publications
. (2014). The neurometabolic underpinnings of fMRI BOLD dynamics. In Advanced Brain Neuroimaging Topics in Health and Disease-Methods and Applications:. InTech. http://doi.org/10.5772/58274
. (2011). Mechanisms for propagating surface information in 3-D reconstruction. In Computer Vision: From Surfaces to 3D Objects. Chapman and Hall/CRC Press.
. (1985). Spatial frequency sweep VEP: Visual acuity during the first year of life. presented at the 01/1985. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/0042-6989(85)90217-2
. For full list see http://christophertyler.org/publications-topics/. presented at the 2020.
Smith-Kettlewell Brain Imaging Center
The Smith-Kettlewell Brain Imaging Center supports a wide variety of human brain imaging modalities, including MRI, MRI morphometry, functional MRI, fMR Iretonogrphy, fMRI dynamics, functional connectivity, Granger-causal connectivity, DTI, DTI tractography, whole-head EEG, EEG functional connectivity, ERG, EEG eye tracking, electroblepharography, etc. Our work centers on human visual neuroscience and computational vision, especially in the areas of human visual processing in adults, of the diagnosis of eye diseases and cortical deficits in infants and adults, on brain plasticity in relation to low vision and blindness, and on the processes of blindness rehabilitation. We are particularly interested in the normal capabilities of binocular visual processing and its disruption by forms of traumatic brain injury.
Likova Lab
The main areas of my research are learning and brain plasticity of multimodal sensorimotor processing in the blind and the sighted.
Active
Active
Spectral ERG analysis of hypersensitivity to light in traumatic brain injury
The purpose of this research study is to use the spectral electroretinogram (ERG) to deteremine how the retinal mechanisms of sufferers from abnormal light sensitivity due to head injury differ from those without abnormal light sensitivity.
Active
Mechanisms of Photophobia in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Human Subjects: Therapeutic Implications
The purpose of this grant is to identify the mechanisms responsible for generating photophobia in patients who have suffered mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Currently, estimates indicate that this painful condition persists in about 60% of those who suffered from blast-related traumatic brain injury and 30% of those who suffered non-blast-related concussive injuries.
Active
SL-CN: Harnessing the Power of Drawing for the Enhancement of Learning across Levels of Vision Function
This Science of Learning Collaborative Network brings together researchers and experts from the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, University of Bamberg (Germany), Columbia University and Emory University to investigate how the visual art of drawing can enhance learning. Underlying learning principles and neural mechanisms will be considered, and how these can be harnessed for real-life learning enhancement. Though humans have been drawing for at least 30,000 years, little is understood about brain processes involved in this activity.
Active
Harnessing the Power of Drawing for the Enhancement of Learning across Levels of Vision Function
Recent scientific findings about art and drawing suggest that drawing can facilitate learning in a wide variety of domains. The proposed collaboration will develop an interdisciplinary research program aimed at harnessing the power of drawing to enhance learning across fields of intellectual endeavor.
Active
Advanced Spatiomotor Rehabilitation for Navigation in Blindness & Visual Impairment
Successful navigation requires the development of an accurate and flexible mental, or cognitive, map of the navigational space and of the route trajectory required to travel from the current to the target location. The Cognitive-Kinesthetic (C-K) Rehabilitation Training that we have developed in the preceding period utilizes a unique form of blind memory-guided drawing to develop cognitive mapping to a high level of proficiency.
Completed
Completed
Human Oculomotor Functions & Their Deficits in Traumatic Brain Injury
Recent studies have established that a high proportion of patients diagnosed with mild (or diffuse) traumatic brain injury (mTBI) exhibit binocular vision dysfunctions, particularly, deficiencies in the binocular coordination of eye movements.
Completed
Encoding of 3D Structure in the Visual Scene: A New Conceptualization
The multidisciplinary goal was to develop an integrated conceptualization of the mid-level encoding of 3D object structure from multiple surface cues
Completed
Advanced Spatiomotor Rehabilitation in Blindness and Visual Impairment
We propose a multidisciplinary approach to effective spatiomotor rehabilitation in blindness and visual impairment. For those who have lost vision, the eye-hand coordination normally available for the manipulation of objects for everyday activities is unavailable and has to be replaced by information from other senses
Contact Information
Email:
cwt@ski.org
Office Phone:
(415) 345-2105
Lab Phone:
(415) 345-2024
Mobile Phone:
(415) 828-7808