Fusiform gyrus

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Brain: Fusiform gyrus
Gray727.svg
Medial surface of left cerebral hemisphere. (Fusiform gyrus visible near bottom)
Medial surface of cerebral cortex - fusiform gyrus.png
Medial surface of right cerebral hemisphere. (Fusiform gyrus visible near bottom)
Latin gyrus fusiformis
Gray's subject #189 824
NeuroNames hier-121
NeuroLex ID birnlex_1641

The fusiform gyrus is part of the temporal lobe. It is also known as the (discontinuous) occipitotemporal gyrus. [1] Other sources have the fusiform gyrus above the occipitotemporal gyrus and underneath the parahippocampal gyrus.[2]

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[edit] Function

There is still some dispute over the functionalities of this area, but there is relative consensus on the following:

  1. processing of color information
  2. face and body recognition (see Fusiform face area)
  3. word recognition
  4. number recognition [questionable: may only be as a result of a global response of any generic recognition tasks, further statistical evidence needed]
  5. within-category identification

Some researchers believe that the fusiform gyrus may be related to the disorder known as prosopagnosia, or face blindness. Research has also shown the fusiform face area, the area within the fusiform gyrus, is heavily involved in face perception but only to any generic within-category identification which is shown to be one of the functions of the fusiform gyrus.[3]



[edit] Function in Synaesthetes

Recent research has seen activation of the fusiform gyrus during subjective grapheme-color perception in people with synaesthesia.[4]

[edit] The Fusiform Gyrus in Popular Culture

Police inspector Beate Lønn in the Harry Hole detective series by Jo Nesbø is supposed to have a well developed fusiform gyrus, explaining why she has an outstanding ability to recognize the villains from surveillance cameras and police photos.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Nature Neuroscience, vol7, 2004
  2. ^ nervsystemet.se - Hjärnatlas
  3. ^ McCarthy, G et al. Face-specific processing in the fuman fusform gyrus.J. Cognitive Neuroscicence. 9, 605-610(1997).
  4. ^ Imaging of connectivity in the synaesthetic brain « Neurophilosophy

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[edit] External links

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