Inferotemporal Cortex and Object Vision

Abstract

Cells in area TE of the inferotemporal cortex of the monkey brain selectively respond to various moderately complex object features, and those that cluster in a columnar region that runs perpendicular to the cortical surface respond to similar features. Although cells within a column respond to similar features, their selectivity is not necessarily identical. The data of optical imaging in TE have suggested that the borders between neighboring columns are not discrete; a continuous mapping of complex feature space within a larger region contains several partially overlapped columns. This continuous mapping may be used for various computations, such as production of the image of the object at different viewing angles, illumination conditions, and articulation poses.