Human v6: the medial motion area

Cereb Cortex. 2010 Feb;20(2):411-24. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhp112. Epub 2009 Jun 5.

Abstract

Cortical-surface-based functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging mapping techniques and wide-field retinotopic stimulation were used to verify the presence of pattern motion sensitivity in human area V6. Area V6 is highly selective for coherently moving fields of dots, both at individual and group levels and even with a visual stimulus of standard size. This stimulus is a functional localizer for V6. The wide retinotopic stimuli used here also revealed a retinotopic map in the middle temporal cortex (area MT/V5) surrounded by several polar-angle maps that resemble the mosaic of small areas found around macaque MT/V5. Our results suggest that the MT complex (MT+) may be specialized for the analysis of motion signals, whereas area V6 may be more involved in distinguishing object and self-motion.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain Mapping
  • Discrimination, Psychological / physiology
  • Female
  • Functional Laterality / physiology
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Motion Perception / physiology*
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Occipital Lobe / anatomy & histology
  • Occipital Lobe / physiology*
  • Parietal Lobe / anatomy & histology
  • Parietal Lobe / physiology*
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology
  • Retina / physiology
  • Visual Cortex / anatomy & histology
  • Visual Cortex / physiology*
  • Visual Fields / physiology
  • Visual Pathways / anatomy & histology
  • Visual Pathways / physiology
  • Visual Perception / physiology*
  • Young Adult