Behavioral Stochastic Resonance within the Human Brain

Abstract

We provide the first evidence that stochastic resonance within the human brain can enhance behavioral responses to weak sensory inputs. We asked subjects to adjust handgrip force to a slowly changing, subthreshold gray level signal presented to their right eye. Behavioral responses were optimized by presenting randomly changing gray levels separately to the left eye. The results indicate that observed behavioral stochastic resonance was mediated by neural activity within the human brain where the information from both eyes converges.