Analogous intermediate shape coding in vision and touch

Jeffrey M. Yau, Anitha Pasupathy, Paul J. Fitzgerald, Steven S Hsiao, Charles E. Connor

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

40 Scopus citations

Abstract

We recognize, understand, and interact with objects through both vision and touch. Conceivably, these two sensory systems encode object shape in similar ways, which could facilitate cross-modal communication. To test this idea, we studied single neurons in macaque monkey intermediate visual (area V4) and somatosensory (area SII) cortex, using matched shape stimuli. We found similar patterns of shape sensitivity characterized by tuning for curvature direction. These parallel tuning patterns imply analogous shape coding mechanisms in intermediate visual and somatosensory cortex.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)16457-16462
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume106
Issue number38
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 22 2009

Keywords

  • Macaque
  • Neural code
  • Somatosensory cortex
  • Visual cortex

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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