A preference for mathematical processing outweighs the selectivity for Arabic numbers in the inferior temporal gyrus.

ABSTRACT: A region in the posterior inferior temporal gyrus (ITG), referred to as the number form area (NFA, here ITG-numbers) has been implicated in the visual processing of Arabic numbers. However, it is unknown if this region is specifically involved in the visual encoding of Arabic numbers per se or in mathematical processing more broadly. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during experiments that systematically vary tasks and stimuli, we find that mathematical processing, not preference to Arabic numbers, consistently drives both mean and distributed responses in the posterior ITG. While we replicated findings of higher responses in ITG-numbers to numbers than other visual stimuli during a 1-back task, this preference to numbers was abolished when participants engaged in mathema

SUBMITTER: Grotheer M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6173953 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature