Abstract
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has revealed a cortical network for complex visual scene processing, consisting of three regions – the parahippocampal place area (PPA), retrosplenial complex (RSC), and transverse occipital sulcus (TOS). Although past research has demonstrated that these regions respond more strongly to scenes than objects, it cannot be inferred from such findings that these regions are causally involved in scene processing. To test the causal role of TOS, we delivered transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to right TOS and the nearby face-selective right occipital face area (OFA) while participants performed discrimination tasks involving scenes and faces. (PPA and RSC are too medial to be accessible to TMS.) We found a double dissociation: TMS over TOS impaired discrimination of scenes but not faces, while TMS over OFA impaired discrimination of faces but not scenes. This finding provides the first evidence that TOS is causally involved in scene processing, and further shows that this causal role is selective for scene perception.
Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2012