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Visual categorization shapes feature selectivity in the primate temporal cortex

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 13:38 authored by Natasha SigalaNatasha Sigala, Nikos K Logothetis
The way that we perceive and interact with objects depends on our previous experience with them. For example, a bird expert is more likely to recognize a bird as a sparrow, a sandpiper or a cockatiel than a non-expert. Neurons in the inferior temporal cortex have been shown to be important in the representation of visual objects; however, it is unknown which object features are represented and how these representations are affected by categorization training. Here we show that feature selectivity in the macaque inferior temporal cortex is shaped by categorization of objects on the basis of their visual features. Specifically, we recorded from single neurons while monkeys performed a categorization task with two sets of parametric stimuli. Each stimulus set consisted of four varying features, but only two of the four were important for the categorization task (diagnostic features). We found enhanced neuronal representation of the diagnostic features relative to the non-diagnostic ones. These findings demonstrate that stimulus features important for categorization are instantiated in the activity of single units (neurons) in the primate inferior temporal cortex

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Nature

ISSN

0028-0836

Publisher

Nature Publishing Group

Issue

6869

Volume

415

Page range

318-20

Department affiliated with

  • Clinical and Experimental Medicine Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-11-14

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    University of Sussex (Publications)

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