Extrastriate body area

Region of the brain involved in the visual perception of the human body

The extrastriate body area (EBA) is a region of the visual cortex involved in the perception of the human body and body parts. It is located in the lateral occipitotemporal cortex, adjacent to the fusiform face area (FFA) and the occipital face area (OFA). The EBA is specifically activated by images of human bodies and body parts, but not by faces or inanimate objects.

Anatomy and Location

The EBA is situated in the lateral occipitotemporal cortex, which is part of the extrastriate cortex. This region is located posterior to the primary visual cortex (V1) and is involved in higher-level visual processing. The EBA is typically found in the posterior part of the inferior temporal gyrus, near the junction with the occipital lobe.

Function

The primary function of the EBA is the visual perception of the human body. It is selectively activated when individuals view images or silhouettes of human bodies and body parts, such as arms, legs, and torsos. The EBA does not respond strongly to images of faces, which are processed by the FFA and OFA, or to inanimate objects, which are processed by other regions of the visual cortex.

Graph illustrating neural activation in the EBA

Neural Mechanisms

The EBA is part of a network of brain regions involved in the perception of biological motion and body form. It works in conjunction with the superior temporal sulcus (STS), which is involved in the perception of motion, and the fusiform body area (FBA), which is involved in the detailed perception of body parts. The EBA receives input from earlier visual areas and sends output to higher-level areas involved in social cognition and action understanding.

Research and Studies

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have shown that the EBA is activated when participants view images of human bodies, even when the images are presented briefly or are partially obscured. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) studies have demonstrated that disrupting the activity of the EBA impairs the ability to recognize body parts, further supporting its role in body perception.

Graph showing experimental results related to EBA activation

Clinical Relevance

Understanding the function of the EBA has implications for clinical conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), where perception of the body and social cues may be altered. Research into the EBA may also contribute to the development of prosthetics and virtual reality systems that rely on accurate body representation.

Related Pages

• Visual cortex
• Fusiform face area
• Occipital face area
• Superior temporal sulcus
• Body dysmorphic disorder