Integration of head and body orientations in the macaque superior temporal sulcus is stronger for upright bodies
The neural processing of faces and bodies is often studied separately, despite their natural integration in perception. Unlike prior research on the neural selectivity for either head or body orientation, we investigated their interaction in macaque superior temporal sulcus (STS) using a monkey avat...
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| Format: | Article |
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eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2025-05-01
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| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/105714 |
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| author | Yordanka Zafirova Rufin Vogels |
| author_facet | Yordanka Zafirova Rufin Vogels |
| author_sort | Yordanka Zafirova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The neural processing of faces and bodies is often studied separately, despite their natural integration in perception. Unlike prior research on the neural selectivity for either head or body orientation, we investigated their interaction in macaque superior temporal sulcus (STS) using a monkey avatar with diverse head–body orientation angles. STS neurons showed selectivity for specific combinations of head–body orientations. Anterior STS (aSTS) neurons enabled more reliable decoding of head–body configuration angles compared to middle STS neurons. Decoding accuracy in aSTS was lowest for head–body angle pairs differing only in sign (e.g. head–body orientation difference of ±90° relative to the anatomical midline), and highest for aligned (0°) head–body orientations versus those with maximum angular difference. Inverted bodies showed diminished decoding of head–body orientation angle compared to upright bodies. These findings show that aSTS integrates head and body orientation cues, revealing configuration-specific neural mechanisms, and advance our understanding of social perception. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9df805478dbd4a97bf7357224fc52871 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2050-084X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | eLife |
| spelling | doaj-art-9df805478dbd4a97bf7357224fc528712025-08-20T01:57:04ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2025-05-011410.7554/eLife.105714Integration of head and body orientations in the macaque superior temporal sulcus is stronger for upright bodiesYordanka Zafirova0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2153-6926Rufin Vogels1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8778-835XLaboratorium voor Neuro- en Psychofysiologie, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, BelgiumLaboratorium voor Neuro- en Psychofysiologie, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, BelgiumThe neural processing of faces and bodies is often studied separately, despite their natural integration in perception. Unlike prior research on the neural selectivity for either head or body orientation, we investigated their interaction in macaque superior temporal sulcus (STS) using a monkey avatar with diverse head–body orientation angles. STS neurons showed selectivity for specific combinations of head–body orientations. Anterior STS (aSTS) neurons enabled more reliable decoding of head–body configuration angles compared to middle STS neurons. Decoding accuracy in aSTS was lowest for head–body angle pairs differing only in sign (e.g. head–body orientation difference of ±90° relative to the anatomical midline), and highest for aligned (0°) head–body orientations versus those with maximum angular difference. Inverted bodies showed diminished decoding of head–body orientation angle compared to upright bodies. These findings show that aSTS integrates head and body orientation cues, revealing configuration-specific neural mechanisms, and advance our understanding of social perception.https://elifesciences.org/articles/105714facesbodiessuperior temporal sulcusinferior temporal cortexhead–body interaction |
| spellingShingle | Yordanka Zafirova Rufin Vogels Integration of head and body orientations in the macaque superior temporal sulcus is stronger for upright bodies eLife faces bodies superior temporal sulcus inferior temporal cortex head–body interaction |
| title | Integration of head and body orientations in the macaque superior temporal sulcus is stronger for upright bodies |
| title_full | Integration of head and body orientations in the macaque superior temporal sulcus is stronger for upright bodies |
| title_fullStr | Integration of head and body orientations in the macaque superior temporal sulcus is stronger for upright bodies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Integration of head and body orientations in the macaque superior temporal sulcus is stronger for upright bodies |
| title_short | Integration of head and body orientations in the macaque superior temporal sulcus is stronger for upright bodies |
| title_sort | integration of head and body orientations in the macaque superior temporal sulcus is stronger for upright bodies |
| topic | faces bodies superior temporal sulcus inferior temporal cortex head–body interaction |
| url | https://elifesciences.org/articles/105714 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yordankazafirova integrationofheadandbodyorientationsinthemacaquesuperiortemporalsulcusisstrongerforuprightbodies AT rufinvogels integrationofheadandbodyorientationsinthemacaquesuperiortemporalsulcusisstrongerforuprightbodies |