Multiplexing in single cells of the alert monkeys visual cortex during brightness discrimination.

Recordings were made from neurons in parafoveal striate cortex while monkey performed a brightness discrimination task. The earliest post-stimulus firing reflected only stimulus parameters. Later firing as 44% greater on trials where the monkeys performed correctly. A third epoch of cell activity, averaged backward in time from the response, showed a different temporal pattern preceding correct responses than preceding mistakes. The results show concomitants of behavioral plasticity in primary sensory cortex.