Mesoscale columnar-like organization of face and body areas

Abstract

Segregated networks of columnar-like functional units convey highly specific functional signals within and across early visual areas. It is unknown, however, whether higher-order category-selective areas exhibit a similar mesoscale functional organization, nor whether mesoscale functional units are aggregated in functional networks spanning large distances (e.g. across hemispheres). Using sub-millimeter fMRI and single-cell recordings, we found that neurons with functionally similar tuning properties within face-and body-selective areas are spatially grouped into columnar-like mesoscale functional units, which also show segregated interhemispheric connectivity patterns. Hence, mesoscale functional networks may constitute fundamental architectural features of primate cortex.