Distributed network flows generate localized category selectivity in human visual cortex

Author summary A fundamental question in neuroscience has persisted for over a century: to what extent do distributed processes drive brain function? The existence of category-selective regions within visual cortex provides long-standing evidence supporting localized computations, wherein specialized functions (e.g., selective responsiveness to face images) are thought to be primarily generated by within-region processes. This account was recently updated to include category selectivity dispersed across visual cortex, in the absence of category-selective regions. Here we provide groundwork evidence demonstrating that locally-exhibited visual-category-selective responses can be accurately generated via distributed activity flowing over globally connected systems. These processes were simulated via empirically-based computational models initialized by stimulus-evoked activity patterns and empirical connectivity matching each category-selective region’s unique intrinsic functional connectivity fingerprint. Results demonstrate that activity flowing over the human brain’s distributed network architecture can account for the generation of category selectivity in visual cortex regions.

BNS Graduate Program | Rutgers SAS-Newark