Area Prostriata in the Human Brain

Year: 2017

Authors: Mikellidou K., Kurzawski J. W., Frijia F., Montanaro F., Greco V., Burr D. C. Morrone M. C.

Autors Affiliation: Department of Translational Research on New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, via Savi 10, 56126 Pisa, Italy; Stella Maris Scientific Institute, Viale del Tirreno, 331, 56128 Calambrone, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health, University of Florence, Via di San Salvi 12, 50139 Florence, Italy; Unit of Neuroradiology, Fondazione CNR/Regione Toscana G. Monasterio, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy;
Istituto Nazionale di Ottica, CNR, Largo Enrico Fermi 6, 50125 Florence, Italy; Neuroscience Institute, CNR, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy

Abstract: Area prostriata is a cortical area at the fundus of the calcarine sulcus, described anatomically in humans [1-5] and other primates [6-9]. It is lightly myelinated and lacks the clearly defined six-layer structure evident throughout the cerebral cortex, with a thinner layer 4 and thicker layer 2 [10], characteristic of limbic cortex [11]. In the marmoset and rhesus monkey, area prostriata has cortical connections with MT+ [12], the cingulate motor cortex [8], the auditory cortex [13], the orbitofrontal cortex, and the frontal polar cortices [14]. Here we use functional magnetic resonance together with a wide-field projection system to study its functional properties in humans. With population receptive field mapping [15], we show that area prostriata has a complete representation of the visual field, clearly distinct from the adjacent area V1. As in the marmoset, the caudal-dorsal border of human prostriata-abutting V1-represents the far peripheral visual field, with eccentricities decreasing toward its rostral boundary. Area prostriata responds strongly to very fast motion, greater than 500 degrees/s. The functional properties of area prostriata suggest that it may serve to alert the brain quickly to fast visual events, particularly in the peripheral visual field.

Journal/Review: CURRENT BIOLOGY

Volume: 27 (19)      Pages from: 3056-1  to: 3056-8

More Information: This research was supported by the European Research Council under the European Union
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.08.065

Citations: 33
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