%0 Journal Article %J NeuroImage %D 2019 %T Representational similarity precedes category selectivity in the developing ventral visual pathway %A Cohen, Michael A. %A Dilks, Daniel D. %A Kami Koldewyn %A Weigelt, Sarah %A Jenelle Feather %A Alexander J. E. Kell %A Keil, Boris %A Fischl, Bruce %A Zöllei, Lilla %A Lawrence Wald %A Rebecca Saxe %A Nancy Kanwisher %B NeuroImage %V 197 %P 565 - 574 %8 Jan-08-2019 %G eng %U https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31077844 %! NeuroImage %R 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.05.010 %0 Journal Article %J Nature Communications %D 2017 %T Organization of high-level visual cortex in human infants %A Ben Deen %A Richardson, Hilary %A Dilks, Daniel D. %A Takahashi, Atsushi %A Keil, Boris %A Lawrence Wald %A Nancy Kanwisher %A Rebecca Saxe %X
How much of the structure of the human mind and brain is already specified at birth, and how much arises from experience? In this article, we consider the test case of extrastriate visual cortex, where a highly systematic functional organization is present in virtually every normal adult, including regions preferring behaviourally significant stimulus categories, such as faces, bodies, and scenes. Novel methods were developed to scan awake infants with fMRI, while they viewed multiple categories of visual stimuli. Here we report that the visual cortex of 4–6-month-old infants contains regions that respond preferentially to abstract categories (faces and scenes), with a spatial organization similar to adults. However, precise response profiles and patterns of activity across multiple visual categories differ between infants and adults. These results demonstrate that the large-scale organization of category preferences in visual cortex is adult-like within a few months after birth, but is subsequently refined through development.
%B Nature Communications %8 01/2017 %G eng %U http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/ncomms13995 %! Nat Comms %R 10.1038/ncomms13995 %0 Journal Article %J NeuroImage %D 2016 %T The occipital place area represents the local elements of scenes %A Kamps, Frederik S. %A Julian, Joshua B. %A Jonas Kubilius %A Nancy Kanwisher %A Dilks, Daniel D. %XNeuroimaging studies have identified three scene-selective regions in human cortex: parahippocampal place area (PPA), retrosplenial complex (RSC), and occipital place area (OPA). However, precisely what scene information each region represents is not clear, especially for the least studied, more posterior OPA. Here we hypothesized that OPA represents local elements of scenes within two independent, yet complementary scene descriptors: spatial boundary (i.e., the layout of external surfaces) and scene content (e.g., internal objects). If OPA processes the local elements of spatial boundary information, then it should respond to these local elements (e.g., walls) themselves, regardless of their spatial arrangement. Indeed, we found that OPA, but not PPA or RSC, responded similarly to images of intact rooms and these same rooms in which the surfaces were fractured and rearranged, disrupting the spatial boundary. Next, if OPA represents the local elements of scene content information, then it should respond more when more such local elements (e.g., furniture) are present. Indeed, we found that OPA, but not PPA or RSC, responded more to multiple than single pieces of furniture. Taken together, these findings reveal that OPA analyzes local scene elements - both in spatial boundary and scene content representation - while PPA and RSC represent global scene properties.
%B NeuroImage %V 132 %P 417 - 424 %8 02/2016 %G eng %U https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26931815 %! NeuroImage %R 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.02.062