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Representation of manipulable man-made objects in the dorsal stream
1Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1366, USA.
Neuroimage
|September 16, 2000
Summary
Viewing and naming tools activates specific brain regions, including the left ventral premotor cortex and left posterior parietal cortex. This suggests a link between object recognition and motor-based properties.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- The human brain processes object recognition through various visual streams.
- Tools are unique objects often associated with specific motor actions and hand movements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neural correlates of viewing and naming tools compared to other object categories.
- To explore whether tool-specific visual processing involves brain regions associated with motor-based properties.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed to measure brain activity.
- Participants viewed and named images from different object categories, including tools.
Main Results:
- Viewing and naming tools selectively activated the left ventral premotor cortex (BA 6).
- This activation is analogous to findings in monkeys regarding neurons responding to graspable objects.
- The left posterior parietal cortex (BA 40) was also selectively activated by tools, mirroring monkey studies on parietal neurons and object manipulation.
Conclusions:
- Object recognition, particularly for tools, may rely on the integration of visual information with motor-based properties.
- Specific brain regions in the ventral and dorsal visual streams are crucial for identifying tool objects.
- A close link exists between manipulable objects and the neural representation of their associated actions in both humans and monkeys.