Automatic top-down processing explains common left occipito-temporal responses to visual words and objects.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_03BCC2E1B128
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Automatic top-down processing explains common left occipito-temporal responses to visual words and objects.
Journal
Cerebral Cortex
Author(s)
Kherif F., Josse G., Price C.J.
ISSN
1460-2199[electronic], 1047-3211[linking]
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2011
Volume
21
Number
1
Pages
103-114
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
Previous studies have demonstrated that a region in the left ventral occipito-temporal (LvOT) cortex is highly selective to the visual forms of written words and objects relative to closely matched visual stimuli. Here, we investigated why LvOT activation is not higher for reading than picture naming even though written words and pictures of objects have grossly different visual forms. To compare neuronal responses for words and pictures within the same LvOT area, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging adaptation and instructed participants to name target stimuli that followed briefly presented masked primes that were either presented in the same stimulus type as the target (word-word, picture-picture) or a different stimulus type (picture-word, word-picture). We found that activation throughout posterior and anterior parts of LvOT was reduced when the prime had the same name/response as the target irrespective of whether the prime-target relationship was within or between stimulus type. As posterior LvOT is a visual form processing area, and there was no visual form similarity between different stimulus types, we suggest that our results indicate automatic top-down influences from pictures to words and words to pictures. This novel perspective motivates further investigation of the functional properties of this intriguing region.
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
14/03/2011 10:49
Last modification date
20/08/2019 12:25
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