title: Functionally defined white matter reveals segregated pathways in human ventral temporal cortex associated with category-specific processing.
abstract: It is unknown if the white-matter properties associated with specific visual networks selectively affect category-specific processing. In a novel protocol we combined measurements of white-matter structure, functional selectivity, and behavior in the same subjects. We find two parallel white-matter pathways along the ventral temporal lobe connecting to either face-selective or place-selective regions. Diffusion properties of portions of these tracts adjacent to face- and place-selective regions of ventral temporal cortex correlate with behavioral performance for face or place processing, respectively. Strikingly, adults with developmental prosopagnosia (face blindness) express an atypical structure-behavior relationship near face-selective cortex, suggesting that white-matter atypicalities in this region may have behavioral consequences. These data suggest that examining the interplay between cortical function, anatomical connectivity, and visual behavior is integral to understanding functional networks and their role in producing visual abilities and deficits.
authors.affiliation: Neurosciences Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. Electronic address: gomezj@stanford.edu.
authors.forename: Jesse
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Indiana, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pestilli
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Witthoft
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Golijeh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Golarai
authors.affiliation: Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liberman
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37325, USA.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poltoratski
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, New York University, New York, NY 10012, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Neurosciences Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Psychology Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Stanford Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Kalanit
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grill-Spector
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D059907:Functional Neuroimaging; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D020238:Prosopagnosia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D066127:White Matter / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult