title: Specificity of action representations in the lateral occipitotemporal cortex.
abstract: The ability to recognize actions is important for cognitive development and social cognition. Areas in the lateral occipitotemporal cortex show increased activity when subjects view action sequences; however, whether this activity distinguishes between specific actions as necessary for action recognition is unclear. We used a functional magnetic resonance imaging adaptation paradigm to test for brain regions that exhibit action-specific activity. Subjects watched a series of action sequences in which the action performed or the person performing the action could be repeated from a previous scan. Three regions-the superior temporal sulcus (pSTS), human motion-sensitive cortex (MT/MST), and extrastriate body area (EBA)-showed decreased activity for previously seen actions, even when the actions were novel exemplars because the persons involved had not been seen previously. These action-specific adaptation effects provide compelling evidence that representations in the pSTS, MT/MST, and EBA abstract actions from the agents involved and distinguish between different particular actions.
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kable
authors.forename: Anjan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*