Attenuation of a sustained visual processing negativity after lesions that include the inferotemporal cortex.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Neurology

Background:

• Sustained, posteriorly distributed 'processing negativity' is linked to visual attention and pattern recognition.
• The inferotemporal cortex is implicated in visual processing and pattern recognition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the elicitation of visual processing negativity in a visual word classification task.
• To examine the impact of unilateral anterior temporal lobectomy on visual processing negativity.

Main Methods:

• Electrophysiological recording during a visual word classification task.
• Analysis of event-related potentials before and after anterior temporal lobectomy for epilepsy.

Main Results:

• Visual processing negativity was elicited during the visual word classification task.
• Unilateral anterior temporal lobectomy disrupted visual processing negativity.
• The disruption was most pronounced on the side of the surgical excision for both right- and left-sided procedures.

Conclusions:

• The inferotemporal cortex plays a significant role in the generation of visual processing negativity.
• Anterior temporal lobectomy impacts visual pattern recognition processes as evidenced by changes in visual processing negativity.
• These findings support theories linking the inferotemporal cortex to visual processing and pattern recognition.