Neuronal responses to object images in the macaque inferotemporal cortex at different stimulus discrimination levels.

Full Abstract

We can discriminate visual objects at multiple levels, from coarse categorization to individual identification. It is not known how the brain adapts to the varying levels of discrimination required in different behavioral contexts. In the present study, we investigated whether the stimulus selectivity of neuronal responses in the monkey inferotemporal cortex, which is the final unimodal stage in the ventral visual pathway, changes with the varying levels of discrimination required for different task conditions. Responses of each inferotemporal cell to the same set of nine object images were examined in two different task conditions. The task alternated between coarse and fine discriminations in the first experiment, and the rule alternated between categorization and individual object identification in the second experiment. Despite these changes in the task requirements and the resulting differences in the monkeys' behavior, we found that the responses of inferotemporal cells were largely unchanged in both experiments. Our results suggest that representation of object images in the inferotemporal cortex is stable and rather insensitive to these kinds of shifts in behavioral context. Neuronal adaptations to behavioral context may occur downstream of the inferotemporal cortex.

Learn Faster Today Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Suzuki, Wataru (W); Matsumoto, Kenji (K); Tanaka, Keiji (K);

Affiliation: Cognitive Brain Mapping Laboratory, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience (J Neurosci), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Oct; vol 26 (issue 41) : pp 10524-35

Dates: Created 2006/10/12; Completed 2006/11/08; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 17035537, 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.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Animals
Cerebral Cortex - physiology
Discrimination Learning - physiology
Form Perception - physiology
Macaca

Macaca
Neurons - physiology
Photic Stimulation - methods
Psychomotor Performance - physiology
Temporal Lobe - physiology

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

See 100+ related articles.