Object recognition learning differentiates the representations of objects at the ERP component N1

ObjectiveEven if viewed from different angles, one can identify an object among similar distractors through learning. This study was designed to investigate the changes in neuronal activity related to learning.MethodsHuman subjects were asked to train themselves with novel objects by performing an object recognition task, in which the images of an object had to be discriminated from those of other objects regardless of the viewpoint.ResultsThe ERP component-N1, the first negative peak at posterior electrodes, showed a significant increase in the amplitude variation across the objects during the learning process, while the variation across viewpoints decreased.ConclusionsThese results suggest that object recognition learning differentiates between the representations of the objects, at least, at the N1 level.SignificanceThe results may support the notion that object recognition differentiates among the functional representations of the trained objects in our brain.