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While representational untangling is usually associated with higher-order visual areas like the inferior temporal cortex, it remains unclear how the early visual system contributes to this process\u2014whether through highly selective neurons or high-dimensional population codes. This article investigates how a computational model of early vision contributes to representational untangling. Using a computational visual hierarchy and two different data sets consisting of numerals and objects, we demonstrate that simulated complex cells significantly contribute to representational untangling for object recognition. Our findings challenge prior theories by showing that untangling does not depend on skewed, sparse, or high-dimensional representations. Instead, simulated complex cells reformat visual information into a low-dimensional, yet more separable, neural code, striking a balance between representational untangling and computational efficiency.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1162\/neco.a.1480","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,10]],"date-time":"2025-12-10T21:06:59Z","timestamp":1765400819000},"page":"145-164","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1162\/mitpressjournals.corrections.policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Simulated Complex Cells Contribute to Object Recognition Through Representational Untangling"],"prefix":"10.1162","volume":"38","author":[{"given":"Mitchell B.","family":"Slapik","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas\u2013Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA mslapik@gmail.com"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Harel 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