Abstract
The knowledge of typical colour (e.g., bananas are yellow) can influence successful object recognition. Most studies on the neural representation of object colour knowledge focus on whether knowledge and perception of object colour rely on overlapping neural substrates (the left fusiform gyrus/v4), with little research on the processing of colour knowledge beyond v4. Some recent studies suggest that the anterior temporal lobe (ATL) acts as a ‘conceptual hub’ that integrates different sensory attributes into an amodal representation, and is critical for semantic knowledge. In this study, we explore whether ATL plays a critical role in integrating typical colour with other object attributes (object shape and linguistic label), akin to its role in combining non-perceptual semantic representations. In separate experimental sessions, we applied continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) to disrupt the neuronal processing in the left ATL and a control site (the occipital pole). Participants performed an object naming task that probes colour knowledge and elicits a reliable colour congruency effect, as well as a control numerical task that also elicit cognitive congruency effect but involves no conceptual integration. ATL stimulation abolished the colour congruency effect, but had no effect on the control task. In contrast, both the colour congruency and control congruency effects were unaffected by stimulation at the control occipital site. Our findings suggest that object colour knowledge requires ATL to implement neural computations of establishing links between typical colours and other object attributes.
Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2013