Task-Related Dynamic Division of Labor Between Anterior Temporal and Lateral Occipital Cortices in Representing Object Size.

In the present study, we provide compelling evidence that the "top-down" cognitive state of an observer changes the dynamic interaction between different subregions of the ventral temporal cortex. Using inhibitory neurostimulation combined with a novel paradigm, we demonstrate a flexible division of labor in the neurocognitive architecture that underpins size knowledge: the lateral occipital cortex codes perceptually based aspects (statistical visual configuration of small/large objects), whereas the anterior temporal lobe represents semantically based aspects (object identity), with their involvement interactively weighted by task demand. The interactive nature of the ventral temporal cortex highlights how top-down modulation constrains and shapes neural representations in the visual system.