Members

Professor AD Milner, MA, PhD, Dip Psych, FRSE

(email at a.d.milner@durham.ac.uk)

Biography

My research is concerned with human visual perception, visuomotor control and spatial attention. I am interested in how these processes operate, and how they inter-relate with each other. My approach is heavily based on empirical neuropsychological studies, in which we carry out systematic investigations of patients with brain damage, set specifically within the context of the wider background of cognitive neuroscience. Neuropsychological research can offer not only insights into the brain processes themselves, but can also enable us to use knowledge of those processes to help us understand the disorders suffered by brain-damaged individuals.

Much of the theoretical background that informs our research can be found in the books 'The Visual Brain in Action' (AD Milner and MA Goodale, Oxford University Press, 1995, 2006; http://www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198524724) and 'Sight Unseen' (Goodale and Milner, Oxford University Press, 2004; http://www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780198568070). Our theoretical starting point is the fact that the patchwork quilt of visual areas laid out on the cortex of the primate brain divides broadly into two somewhat separate systems (the 'dorsal' and the 'ventral'). We argue that these two systems respectively mediate visual processing directed at two distinct functional endpoints: perception/cognition and visuomotor control. The ventral system is involved in constructing our conscious perceptual experiences and as a gateway to the memory systems of the brain, and in turn is modulated by those stored visual memories. The dorsal system operates in a much more 'bottom-up' fashion, transforming visual information to program and guide our actions (manual, ocular, and locomotor). A precis of the theory can be accessed on-line (http://psyche.cs.monash.edu.au/v4/psyche-4-12-milner.html).

Our current research is focussing mainly on three kinds of neurological impairments: visual agnosia, optic ataxia, and visuospatial neglect. In addition we are using techniques of functional MRI to explore the properties of the two visual systems in governing our visual life. In most of our research we carry out both visuomotor and perceptual testing, using tasks as nearly as possible comparable in their nature in the two cases.

Research Interests

• Cognitive and behavioural neuroscience, especially studies of the brain mechanisms underlying visual perception, visuomotor control and visuospatial attention
• Current projects are focusing on visual agnosia, visuospatial neglect and optic ataxia

Publications

Books: authored

• Milner, A. D. & Goodale, M. A. 2006. The Visual Brain in Action, Second Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Additional information)
• Goodale, M. A. & Milner, A. D. 2004. Sight Unseen: An Exploration of Conscious and Unconscious Vision. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Additional information)

Books: edited

• Heywood, C. A., Milner, A. D. & Blakemore, C. 2004. The Roots of Visual Awareness. Progress in Brain Research. Amsterdam: Elsevier. (Additional information)
• Karnath, H.-O., Milner, A. D. & Vallar, G. 2002. Cognitive and Neural Bases of Spatial Neglect. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Additional information)

Books: sections

• Milner, A.D. 2008. Visual awareness and human action. In Frontiers in Consciousness Research. Weiskrantz, L. & Davies, M. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Milner, A.D. 2006. Visual awareness and the primate brain. In Human Nature. Jeeves, M.A. Edinburgh: Royal Society of Edinburgh. 138-154. (Additional information)
• Milner, A. D. & Harvey, M. 2006. Visuomotor control of spatially directed action. In Imagery and Spatial Cognition: Methods, Models and Clinical Assessment. Vecchi, T. & Bottini, G. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 297-322. (Additional information)

Journal papers: academic

• Steeves, J., Dricot, L., Goltz, H.C., Sorger, B., Peters, J., Milner, A.D., Goodale, M.A., Goebel, R. & Rossion, B. 2009. Abnormal face identity coding in the middle fusiform gyrus of two brain-damaged prosopagnosic patients. Neuropsychologia 47(12): 2584-2592. (Additional information) (View publication online)
• Dijkerman, H.C., McIntosh, R.D., Schindler, I., Nijboer, T.C.W. & Milner, A.D. 2009. Choosing between alternative wrist postures: action planning needs perception. Neuropsychologia 47(6): 1476-1482. (Additional information) (View publication online)
• De-Wit, L., Kentridge, R.W. & Milner, A.D. 2009. Object based attention and visual area LO. Neuropsychologia 47(6): 1483-1490. (Additional information) (View publication online)
• Carey, D.P., Dijkerman, H.C. & Milner, A.D. 2009. Pointing to two imaginary targets at the same time: Bimanual allocentric and egocentric localization in visual form agnosic D.F. Neuropsychologia 47(6): 1469-1475. (Additional information) (View publication online)
• De-Wit, L. H., Kentridge, R. W. & Milner, A. D. 2009. Shape processing area LO and illusory contours. Perception 38(8): 1260-1263. (Additional information) (View publication online)
• Schindler, I., McIntosh, R.D., Cassidy, T.P., Birchall, D., Benson, V., Ietswaart, M. & Milner, A.D. 2009. The disengage deficit in hemispatial neglect is restricted to between-object shifts and is abolished by prism adaptation. Experimental Brain Research 192: 499-510.
• Schindler, I., Ellison, A. & Milner, A.D. 2008. Contralateral visual search deficits following TMS. Journal of Neuropsychology 2: 501-508.
• Rice, N.J., Edwards, M.G., Schindler, I., Punt, T.D., McIntosh, R.D., Humphreys, G.W., Lestou, V. & Milner, A.D. 2008. Delay abolishes the obstacle avoidance deficit in optic ataxia. Neuropsychologia 46: 1549-1557.
• Nijboer, T.C.W., McIntosh, R.D., Nys, G.M.S., Dijkerman, H.C. & Milner, A.D. 2008. Prism adaptation improves voluntary but not automatic orienting in neglect. Neuroreport 19: 293-298.
• Milner, A.D. & Goodale, M.A. 2008. Two visual systems re-viewed. Neuropsychologia 46: 774-785.
• Rice, N.J., Valyear, K.F., Goodale, M.A., Milner, A.D. & Culham, J.C. 2007. Orientation sensitivity to graspable objects: an fMR adaptation study. Neuroimage 36(2): T87-T93. (Additional information)
• Whitney, D., Ellison, A., Rice, N.J., Arnold, D., Goodale, M.A., Walsh, V. & Milner, A.D. 2007. Visually guided reaching depends on motion area MT+. Cerebral Cortex 17: 2644-2649. (Additional information)
• Schenk, T. & Milner, A. D. 2006. Concurrent visuomotor behaviour improves form discrimination in a patient with visual form agnosia. European Journal of Neuroscience 24(5): 1495-1503. (Additional information) (View publication online)
• Rice, N. J., McIntosh, R. D., Schindler, I., Mon-Williams, M., Démonet, J.-F. & Milner, A. D. 2006. Intact automatic avoidance of obstacles in patients with visual form agnosia. Experimental Brain Research 174: 176-188. (Additional information)
• Carey, D.P., Dijkerman, H.C., Murphy, K.J., Goodale, M.A. & Milner, A.D. 2006. Pointing to places and spaces in the visual form agnosic D.F. Neuropsychologia 44: 1584-1594. (Additional information)
• Dijkerman, H. C., McIntosh, R. D., Anema, H. A., de Haan, E. H. F., Kappelle, L. J. & Milner, A. D. 2006. Reaching errors in optic ataxia are linked to eye position rather than head or body position. Neuropsychologia 44: 2766-2773. (Additional information)
• Steeves JKE, Culham JC, Duchaine BC, Cavina Pratesi C, Valyear KF, Schindler I, Humphrey GK, Milner AD & Goodale MA 2006. The fusiform face area is not sufficient for face recognition: evidence from a patient with dense prosopagnosia and no occipital face area. Neuropsychologia 44(4): 594-609. (Additional information) (View publication online)
• Milner, A. D. & McIntosh, R. D. 2005. The neurological basis of visual neglect. Current Opinion in Neurology 18: 748-753.
• Schenk, T., Ellison, A., Rice, N.J. & Milner, A.D. 2005. The role of V5/MT+ in the control of catching movements: an rTMS study. Neuropsychologia 43(2): 189-198. (Additional information) (View publication online)
• Schenk, T., Schindler, I., McIntosh, R. D. & Milner, A. D. 2005. The use of visual feedback is independent of visual awareness: evidence from visual extinction. Experimental Brain Research 167: 95-102.
• Rossetti, Y., McIntosh, R.D., Revol, P., Pisella, L., Rode, G., Danckert, J., Tilikete, C., Dijkerman, H.C., Boisson, D., Vighetto, A., Michel, F. & Milner, A.D. 2005. Visually guided reaching: Posterior parietal lesions cause a switch from visuomotor to cognitive control. Neuropsychologia 42: 162-177.
• McIntosh, R. D., Schindler, I., Birchall, D. & Milner, A. D. 2005. Weights and measures: a new look at bisection behaviour in neglect. Cognitive Brain Research 25: 833-850.
• McIntosh, R.D., McClements, K.I., Dijkerman, H.C. & Milner, A.D. 2004. 'Mind the gap': the size-distance dissociation in visual neglect is a cueing effect. Cortex 40: 339-346.
• Toraldo, A., McIntosh, R.D., Dijkerman, H.C. & Milner, A.D. 2004. A revised method for analysing the landmark task. Cortex 40: 415-431.
• Ellison, A., Schindler, I., Pattison, L. L. & Milner, A. D. 2004. An exploration of the role of the superior temporal gyrus in visual search and spatial perception using TMS. Brain 127: 2307-2315.
• Schindler, I., Rice, N., McIntosh, R.D., Rossetti, Y., Vighetto, A. & Milner, A.D. 2004. Automatic avoidance of obstacles is a dorsal stream function: evidence from optic ataxia. Nature Neuroscience 7(7): 779-784. (View publication online)
• McIntosh, R.D., McClements, K.I., Schindler, I., Cassidy, T.P., Birchall, D. & Milner, A.D. 2004. Avoidance of obstacles in the absence of visual awareness. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 271(1534): 15-20. (View publication online)
• Steeves, J. K. E., Humphrey, G. K., Culham, J. C., Menon, R. S., Milner, A. D. & Goodale, M. A. 2004. Behavioral and neuroimaging evidence for a contribution of color and texture information to scene classification in a patient with visual form agnosia. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 16(8): 955-965.
• Kentridge, R. W., Heywood, C. A. & Milner, A. D. 2004. Covert processing of visual form in the absence of area LO. Neuropsychologia 42: 1488-1495.
• McIntosh, R.D., Dijkerman, H.C., Mon-Williams, M. & Milner, A.D. 2004. Grasping what is graspable: Evidence from visual form agnosia. Cortex 40: 695-702.
• Milner, A. D. & Goodale, M. A. 2004. Plans for action. Extended commentary on S. Glover 'Separate visual representations in the planning and control of action'. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 27: 37-40.
• McIntosh, R. D., McClements, K. I., Dijkerman, H. C., Birchall, D. & Milner, A. D. 2004. Preserved obstacle avoidance during reaching in patients with left visual neglect. Neuropsychologia 42: 1107-1117.
• Milner, A. D. & McIntosh, R. D. 2004. Reaching between obstacles in spatial neglect and visual extinction. Progress in Brain Research 144: 213-226. (Additional information)
• Goodale, M. A., Westwood, D. A. & Milner, A. D. 2004. Two distinct modes of control for object-directed action. Progress in Brain Research 144: 131-144.
• Bisiach, E., McIntosh, R.D., Dijkerman, H.C., McClements, K.I., Colombo, M.R. & Milner, A.D. 2004. Visual and tactile size matching in spatial neglect. Cortex 40: 651-657.
• Dijkerman, H. C., Lê, S., Démonet, J.-F. & Milner, A. D. 2004. Visuomotor performance in a case of visual form agnosia due to early brain damage. Cognitive Brain Research 20: 12-25.

Media Contacts

Available for media contact about:

• Vision / eye movement: the brain and visual perception
• Memory and brain function: the brain and visual perception

Supervises

• Dr Cristiana Cavina Pratesi
• Dr Magdalena Ietswaart