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Prefrontal Cortex Tunes Category Selectivity in Visual Association Cortex

Prefrontal Cortex Tunes Category Selectivity in Visual Association Cortex Different categories of visual objects evoke distinct bottom–up sensory responses in visual association cortex. Although numerous lines of evidence suggest this category selectivity, the degree to which the tuning of these assemblies can be altered by top–down influences remains uncertain. In this study, we investigate the causal role of prefrontal cortex in the tuning of bottom–up perceptual responses of face and scene stimuli. We employed two experimental approaches to disrupt prefrontal cortical function—focal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in normal controls (Experiment 1) and prefrontal cortex lesions in stroke patients (Experiment 2). Following these perturbations to normal prefrontal cortex function, bottom–up responses in visual association cortex exhibited less distinct category selectivity. These two experiments provide convergent evidence highlighting a direct role of prefrontal cortex in the top–down modulation of bottom–up visual signals. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience MIT Press

Prefrontal Cortex Tunes Category Selectivity in Visual Association Cortex

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Publisher
MIT Press
Copyright
© 2010 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Subject
Articles
ISSN
0898-929X
eISSN
1530-8898
DOI
10.1162/jocn.2010.21546
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Different categories of visual objects evoke distinct bottom–up sensory responses in visual association cortex. Although numerous lines of evidence suggest this category selectivity, the degree to which the tuning of these assemblies can be altered by top–down influences remains uncertain. In this study, we investigate the causal role of prefrontal cortex in the tuning of bottom–up perceptual responses of face and scene stimuli. We employed two experimental approaches to disrupt prefrontal cortical function—focal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in normal controls (Experiment 1) and prefrontal cortex lesions in stroke patients (Experiment 2). Following these perturbations to normal prefrontal cortex function, bottom–up responses in visual association cortex exhibited less distinct category selectivity. These two experiments provide convergent evidence highlighting a direct role of prefrontal cortex in the top–down modulation of bottom–up visual signals.

Journal

Journal of Cognitive NeuroscienceMIT Press

Published: Oct 1, 2010

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