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Anatomical segregation of two cortical visual pathways in the macaque monkey
Visual Neuroscience
|June 1, 1990
Summary
Visual information travels through separate pathways to the inferior parietal and inferotemporal cortices in macaque monkeys. However, both regions receive common inputs from the anterior superior temporal sulcus, suggesting a role in integrating visual processing.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Primate Visual System
- Cortical Connectivity
Background:
- Evidence suggests distinct visual information processing in macaque inferior parietal and inferotemporal cortices.
- Separate pathways from striate cortex through prestriate cortex to these regions have been proposed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To directly examine the visual information pathways to inferior parietal and inferotemporal cortices.
- To determine if prestriate cortical pathways are separate for these two visual processing areas.
Main Methods:
- Retrograde fluorescent tracers (fast blue, diamidino yellow) injected into inferior parietal and inferotemporal cortex.
- Analysis of labeled cells in two-dimensional cortical reconstructions.
Main Results:
- Inferotemporal cortex (TEO, TEp, TEa) receives afferents from specific prestriate areas (V2, V3, V3A, V4, V4t, DPL) and superior temporal sulcus (STS) areas (IPa, PGa, FST, TPO).
- Inferior parietal cortex (POa, PGc) receives afferents from different prestriate areas (V3, V3A, V4, DPL, PO) and STS areas (MST, VIP, IPa, PGa, TPO, FST).
- While prestriate pathways are largely separate, both cortices share common inputs from extensive anterior STS regions (IPa, PGa, FST).
Conclusions:
- Visual information reaches inferior parietal and inferotemporal cortices via largely separate prestriate cortical pathways.
- Common inputs from the anterior STS suggest a role in linking visual processing between these two cortical subdivisions.