People-selectivity, audiovisual integration and heteromodality in the superior temporal sulcus

Watson, R., Latinus, M., Charest, I., Crabbe, F. and Belin, P. (2014) People-selectivity, audiovisual integration and heteromodality in the superior temporal sulcus. Cortex, 50, pp. 125-136. (doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2013.07.011)

Abstract

The functional role of the superior temporal sulcus (STS) has been implicated in a number of studies, including those investigating face perception, voice perception, and face–voice integration. However, the nature of the STS preference for these ‘social stimuli’ remains unclear, as does the location within the STS for specific types of information processing. The aim of this study was to directly examine properties of the STS in terms of selective response to social stimuli. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to scan participants whilst they were presented with auditory, visual, or audiovisual stimuli of people or objects, with the intention of localising areas preferring both faces and voices (i.e., ‘people-selective’ regions) and audiovisual regions designed to specifically integrate person-related information. Results highlighted a ‘people-selective, heteromodal’ region in the trunk of the right STS which was activated by both faces and voices, and a restricted portion of the right posterior STS (pSTS) with an integrative preference for information from people, as compared to objects. These results point towards the dedicated role of the STS as a ‘social-information processing’ centre.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Belin, Professor Pascal and Crabbe, Mrs Frances and Latinus, Dr Marianne
• Authors: Watson, R., Latinus, M., Charest, I., Crabbe, F., and Belin, P.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Psychology & Neuroscience
• Journal Name: Cortex
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0010-9452
• ISSN (Online): 1973-8102
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.
• First Published: First published in Cortex 50:125-136
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher