Walsh & Hoyt: Functional Imaging and Other Techniques

PET scanning studies during motion perception show activation in the lateral occipital gyri, at the junction of Brodmanns areas 19 and 37. This motion-selective area is most consistently related to the conjunction of the anterior limb of the inferior temporal sulcus with the lateral occipital sulcus. Other areas activated during motion perception include V1, V2, and the dorsal cuneus, which may correspond to V3. Viewing of optic flow increases blood flow in the dorsal cuneus, superior parietal lobe, and fusiform gyrus. More complex biologic motions similar to those that elicit responses in monkey area STP were studied by Bonda et al.. Goal-directed hand actions activated left hemispheric intraparietal sulcus and caudal superior temporal sulcus, which the investigators considered to be related to syndromes of apraxia with left hemisphere lesions. Expressive body movements activated right superior temporal sulcus, possibly corresponding to monkey area STP, and the amygdala, which is involved in perceiving emotional and social signals.