Mirror-Image Sensitivity and Invariance in Object and Scene Processing Pathways
Open Access
- 3 August 2011
- journal article
- Published by Society for Neuroscience in Journal of Neuroscience
- Vol. 31 (31), 11305-11312
- https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.1935-11.2011
Abstract
Electrophysiological and behavioral studies in many species have demonstrated mirror-image confusion for objects, perhaps because many objects are vertically symmetric (e.g., a cup is the same cup when seen in left or right profile). In contrast, the navigability of a scene changes when it is mirror reversed, and behavioral studies reveal high sensitivity to this change. Thus, we predicted that representations in object-selective cortex will be unaffected by mirror reversals, whereas representations in scene-selective cortex will be sensitive to such reversals. To test this hypothesis, we ran an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging adaptation experiment in human adults. Consistent with our prediction, we found tolerance to mirror reversals in one object-selective region, the posterior fusiform sulcus, and a strong sensitivity to these reversals in two scene-selective regions, the transverse occipital sulcus and the retrosplenial complex. However, a more posterior object-selective region, the lateral occipital sulcus, showed sensitivity to mirror reversals, suggesting that the sense information that distinguishes mirror images is represented at earlier stages in the object-processing hierarchy. Moreover, one scene-selective region (the parahippocampal place area or PPA) was tolerant to mirror reversals. This last finding challenges the hypothesis that the PPA is involved in navigation and reorientation and suggests instead that scenes, like objects, are processed by distinct pathways guiding recognition and action.This publication has 51 references indexed in Scilit:
- Functional Compartmentalization and Viewpoint Generalization Within the Macaque Face-Processing SystemScience, 2010
- Selectivity and Tolerance (“Invariance”) Both Increase as Visual Information Propagates from Cortical Area V4 to ITJournal of Neuroscience, 2010
- Beyond Core Knowledge: Natural GeometryCognitive Science, 2010
- Different roles of the parahippocampal place area (PPA) and retrosplenial cortex (RSC) in panoramic scene perceptionNeuroImage, 2009
- Reorganization of Visual Processing in Macular Degeneration Is Not Specific to the “Preferred Retinal Locus”Journal of Neuroscience, 2009
- Reorganization of visual processing in macular degeneration: Replication and clues about the role of foveal lossVision Research, 2008
- Representation of Perceived Object Shape by the Human Lateral Occipital ComplexScience, 2001
- Failure to discriminate between mirror-image objects: A case of viewpoint-independent object recognition?Neurocase, 1996
- Shape representation in the inferior temporal cortex of monkeysCurrent Biology, 1995
- Description of a left/right coding deficit in a case of constructional apraxiaCognitive Neuropsychology, 1988