Shape perception does not require dorsal stream processing

Summary: This study reveals the specific functional contributions of the dorsal visual pathway to object recognition. The dorsal cortex computes the spatial relations among an object's parts and transmits this information to the ventral pathway to support object categorization. The dorsal cortex is a crucial source of input to the ventral pathway and may support the ability to categorize objects based on global shape.

Summary: The recognition of human objects is supported by a representation of shape that can tolerate variations in the appearance of objects. This representation is achieved by describing objects based on the spatial arrangement of their local features, rather than the appearance of the features themselves. Recent evidence suggests that the ventral visual pathway, which is responsible for object recognition, may not represent global shape but instead represents a set of local image features. This calls for a reevaluation of the role of the ventral pathway in object perception and suggests a broader network for shape perception that includes contributions from the dorsal pathway.