The neural development and organization of letter recognition: Evidence from functional neuroimaging, computational modeling, and behavioral studies

摘要: Although much of the brain’s functional organization is genetically predetermined, it appears that some noninnate functions can come to depend on dedicated and segregated neural tissue. In this paper, we describe a series experiments have investigated development one such function: letter recognition. Functional neuroimaging demonstrates digit recognition different substrates in literate adults. How could processing two stimulus categories are distinguished solely by cultural conventions become brain? One possibility correlation-based learning brain leads spatial cortex reflects temporal clustering letters with environment. Simulations confirm environmental co-occurrence does indeed lead localization network uses learning. Furthermore, behavioral studies critical prediction hypothesis, namely, subjects exposed visual environment which digits occur together rather than separately (postal workers who process Canadian postal codes) do show less evidence for processing.