The role of temporal cortex in the control of attention

TL;DR

This paper hypothesizes that the temporal cortex, especially the STS and IT regions, actively participates in attentional control and cognitive programming, challenging the passive recognition view.

Contribution

It introduces a mechanistic framework for how the temporal cortex contributes to flexible, task-dependent attentional control and cognitive programming.

Findings

Evidence supports temporal cortex involvement in attention guidance.

Proposed framework explains temporal cortex's role in executive control.

Highlights the dynamic and flexible nature of visual attention.

Abstract

Attention is an indispensable component of active vision. Contrary to the widely accepted notion that temporal cortex processing primarily focusses on passive object recognition, a series of very recent studies emphasize the role of temporal cortex structures, specifically the superior temporal sulcus (STS) and inferotemporal (IT) cortex, in guiding attention and implementing cognitive programs relevant for behavioral tasks. The goal of this theoretical paper is to advance the hypothesis that the temporal cortex attention network (TAN) entails necessary components to actively participate in attentional control in a flexible task-dependent manner. First, we will briefly discuss the general architecture of the temporal cortex with a focus on the STS and IT cortex of monkeys and their modulation with attention. Then we will review evidence from behavioral and neurophysiological studies that support their guidance of attention in the presence of cognitive control signals. Next, we propose a mechanistic framework for executive control of attention in the temporal cortex. Finally, we summarize the role of temporal cortex in implementing cognitive programs and discuss how they contribute to the dynamic nature of visual attention to ensure flexible behavior.