From localization to distribution: revisiting the functional organization of the extrastriate body area

The extrastriate body area is a functional region of the human brain located in the lateral occipitotemporal cortex and was originally identified by its greater activation in response to images of human bodies compared with several other object categories. In subsequent research, the extrastriate body area was associated with a wide range of cognitive functions and processes localized to a substantial portion of the posterior cortex. In this review, we summarize prior research on the extrastriate body area and examine evidence linking the region to various cognitive processes. We also review the coordinates reported in the literature to better characterize its anatomical location. In addition, we report results from a 3-T functional MRI localizer for the extrastriate body area using highly controlled dynamic stimuli. Our findings indicate that extrastriate body area localization can be strongly influenced by the type of localizer stimuli used, the tasks engaging the region, and participant characteristics. Overall, the literature suggests that the role of the extrastriate body area extends beyond the visual representation of the human body to encompass broader cognitive and affective processes. This pleads in favor of orienting our understanding of the extrastriate body area toward the role of body perception in behavior.