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Role for human posterior parietal cortex in visual processing of aversive objects in peripersonal space
Donna Lloyd1, India Morrison, Neil Roberts
1Magnetic Resonance and Image Analysis Research Centre, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. Donna.Lloyd@manchester.ac.uk
Journal of Neurophysiology
|September 16, 2005
Summary
The human posterior parietal cortex distinguishes threatening visual stimuli, even without touch. This brain region modulates responses to pain based on spatial congruence, suggesting a role in threat detection.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- The posterior parietal cortex integrates multisensory information (visual, somatosensory, proprioceptive, vestibular).
- Its role in discriminating threatening visual stimuli in humans, independent of tactile input, remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if the human posterior parietal cortex modulates its activity in response to visual threat representations.
- To determine if this modulation is dependent on spatial congruence and the absence of tactile input.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to monitor brain activity.
- Participants observed visual stimuli depicting painful or non-painful probes applied to a rubber hand positioned congruently or incongruently relative to their own hand.
Main Results:
- Superior and inferior parietal regions (BA5/7, BA40) showed increased activity when observing painful versus non-painful stimuli, but only when the rubber hand was spatially congruent.
- Motivational-affective areas (mid-cingulate, anterior insula) exhibited similar relevance-dependent modulation.
- Premotor areas did not show this modulation.
Conclusions:
- The human posterior parietal cortex can discriminate threatening visual stimuli, modulating responses based on spatial relevance.
- These findings suggest a functional homologue to monkey inferior parietal areas involved in processing aversive stimuli and initiating protective movements.
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