Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 1, 2026
07:11
Author Spotlight: Insights into Visual Cortex Research Through Wide-View fMRI Mapping
Published on: December 8, 2023
2.6K
Coarse-to-fine categorization of visual scenes in scene-selective cortex.
Benoit Musel1, Louise Kauffmann, Stephen Ramanoël
1Université Grenoble Alpes.
Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
|April 18, 2014
Summary
Visual processing in the brain often follows a coarse-to-fine (CtF) sequence. This study reveals that the parahippocampal place area (PPA) predominantly uses CtF processing for scene categorization.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Visual Perception
Background:
- Visual analysis is thought to involve parallel extraction of attributes at different spatial frequencies.
- A coarse-to-fine (CtF) processing sequence, starting with low spatial frequencies (LSF) and progressing to high spatial frequencies (HSF), is a proposed model.
- Evidence for CtF processing in scene-selective cortical regions remains limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether CtF processing occurs in scene-selective cortical regions.
- To determine if the parahippocampal place area (PPA), retrosplenial cortex, and occipital place area exhibit CtF processing during scene categorization.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed in 14 participants.
- Participants performed an indoor/outdoor scene categorization task using dynamic visual stimuli.
- Stimuli mimicked CtF (LSF to HSF) and fine-to-coarse (FtC; HSF to LSF) processing sequences.
Main Results:
- The parahippocampal place area (PPA) showed significantly greater activation for CtF sequences compared to FtC sequences.
- The retrosplenial cortex and occipital place area exhibited equivalent activation for both CtF and FtC sequences.
- This suggests a preferential CtF processing strategy within the PPA.
Conclusions:
- The PPA preferentially utilizes a coarse-to-fine processing strategy for categorizing visual scenes.
- This finding provides the first evidence for CtF sequence processing in a scene-selective cortical region.
- The retrosplenial cortex and occipital place area do not show a similar processing preference.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
8.1K
The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex....
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex....
8.1K
01:24Vision
48.6K
Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.
48.6K
01:26Visual System
2.3K
Light enters the eye through the cornea, a transparent, dome-shaped surface covering the surface of the eyeball that helps to direct and focus incoming light. This light is then channeled toward the pupil, an adjustable opening whose size is controlled by the iris. The iris, a pigmented muscle, regulates the amount of light entering the eye by contracting or dilating the pupil, thereby ensuring optimal light levels for clear vision.
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...
2.3K
01:21Association Areas of the Cortex
10.2K
Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
10.2K
01:20Anatomy of the Eyeball
8.6K
The eye is a spherical, hollow structure composed of three tissue layers. The outer layer — the fibrous tunic, comprises the sclera — a white structure — and the cornea, which is transparent. The sclera encompasses some of the ocular surface, most of which is not visible. However, the 'white of the eye' is distinctively visible in humans compared to other species. The cornea, a clear covering at the front of the eye, enables light penetration. The eye's middle...
8.6K
01:20Parallel Processing
950
The brain processes sensory information rapidly due to parallel processing, which involves sending data across multiple neural pathways at the same time. This method allows the brain to manage various sensory qualities, such as shapes, colors, movements, and locations, all concurrently. For instance, when observing a forest landscape, the brain simultaneously processes the movement of leaves, the shapes of trees, the depth between them, and the various shades of green. This enables a quick and...
950