Beyond the Visual Word Form Area - a cognitive characterization of the left ventral occipitotemporal cortex

The left ventral occipitotemporal cortex has been traditionally viewed as a pathway for visual object recognition including written letters and words. Its crucial role in reading was strengthened by the studies on the functionally localized Visual Word Form Area responsible for processing word-like information. However, in the past 20 years, empirical studies have challenged the assumptions of this brain region as processing exclusively visual or even orthographic stimuli. In this review, we aimed to present the development of understanding of the left ventral occipitotemporal cortex from the visually based letter area to the modality-independent symbolic language related region. We discuss theoretical and empirical research that includes orthographic, phonological, and semantic properties of language. Existing results showed that involvement of the left ventral occipitotemporal cortex is not limited to unimodal activity but also includes multimodal processes. The idea of the integrative nature of this region is supported by the broad functional and structural connectivity with language-related and attentional brain networks. We conclude that although the function of the area is not yet fully understood in human cognition, its role goes beyond visual word form processing. The left ventral occipitotemporal cortex seems to be crucial for combining higher-level language information with abstract forms that convey meaning independently of modality.

Automated summary

Traditionally, the left ventral occipitotemporal cortex is believed to be involved in visual object recognition, specifically with respect to written letters and words. However, empirical studies in the past two decades have challenged the assumption that this brain region exclusively processes visual or orthographic stimuli. In this review, we present the development of understanding of the left ventral occipitotemporal cortex from a visually-based letter area to a modality-independent symbolic language-related region, discussing theoretical and empirical research on orthographic, phonological, and semantic properties of language. Evidence shows that the left ventral occipitotemporal cortex is involved in multimodal processes and has broad functional and structural connectivity with language-related and attentional brain networks. We conclude that this region's function extends beyond visual word form processing and is crucial for integrating higher-level language information with abstract forms that convey meaning independently of modality.