Neural mechanisms of visual object priming: evidence for perceptual and semantic distinctions in fusiform cortex.

Full Abstract

Previous functional imaging studies have shown that facilitated processing of a visual object on repeated, relative to initial, presentation (i.e., repetition priming) is associated with reductions in neural activity in multiple regions, including fusiform/lateral occipital cortex. Moreover, activity reductions have been found, at diminished levels, when a different exemplar of an object is presented on repetition. In one previous study, the magnitude of diminished priming across exemplars was greater in the right relative to the left fusiform, suggesting greater exemplar specificity in the right. Another previous study, however, observed fusiform lateralization modulated by object viewpoint, but not object exemplar. The present fMRI study sought to determine whether the result of differential fusiform responses for perceptually different exemplars could be replicated. Furthermore, the role of the left fusiform cortex in object recognition was investigated via the inclusion of a lexical/semantic manipulation. Right fusiform cortex showed a significantly greater effect of exemplar change than left fusiform, replicating the previous result of exemplar-specific fusiform lateralization. Right fusiform and lateral occipital cortex were not differentially engaged by the lexical/semantic manipulation, suggesting that their role in visual object recognition is predominantly in the visual discrimination of specific objects. Activation in left fusiform cortex, but not left lateral occipital cortex, was modulated by both exemplar change and lexical/semantic manipulation, with further analysis suggesting a posterior-to-anterior progression between regions involved in processing visuoperceptual and lexical/semantic information about objects. The results are consistent with the view that the right fusiform plays a greater role in processing specific visual form information about objects, whereas the left fusiform is also involved in lexical/semantic processing.

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Author information

Author/s: Simons, Jon S (JS); Koutstaal, Wilma (W); Prince, Steve (S); Wagner, Anthony D (AD); Schacter, Daniel L (DL);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. jon.simons(-atsign-)ucl.ac.uk

Grants: AG08441 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS) ; MH60941 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Clinical Trial; Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: NeuroImage (Neuroimage), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-Jul; vol 19 (issue 3) : pp 613-26

Dates: Created 2003/07/25; Completed 2003/09/09; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 12880792, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent
Adult
Brain Mapping
Cerebral Cortex - physiology
Cues
Female
Form Perception - physiology
Functional Laterality - physiology
Humans

Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Oxygen - blood
Reaction Time - physiology
Semantics
Size Perception - physiology
Visual Perception - physiology

Associated Chemicals: Oxygen (7782-44-7)

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