Processing of natural scenes in the human pulvinar

Daniel R Guest; Emily J Allen; Kendrick N Kay; Michael J Arcaro

doi:10.1038/s41467-025-67472-3

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Processing of natural scenes in the human pulvinar

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Processing of natural scenes in the human pulvinar

Daniel R Guest, Emily J Allen, Kendrick N Kay and Michael J Arcaro

Nature communications, Vol.17(1), pp.789-12

12/16/2025

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-67472-3

PMID: 41402333

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https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67472-3View

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Abstract

Theories of high-level visual processing and object recognition have typically focused on ventral visual cortex, often overlooking potential contributions of subcortical structures. The pulvinar, via extensive connections with visual cortex, is well-positioned to play a role in high-level vision. Here, we investigated how the pulvinar represents visual information using a high-resolution 7 T fMRI dataset of responses to tens of thousands of natural scenes. Encoding models targeting different stimulus features revealed a pulvinar region selective for bodies and faces presented in the contralateral visual hemifield. Complementary model-free analyses demonstrated that this region is co-active with body- and face-selective cortical areas during natural scene viewing. These findings challenge cortico-centric models of object vision by demonstrating that principles of cortical organization, including functional clustering and hierarchical organization, also manifest in subcortex. Moreover, they highlight the value of using naturalistic stimuli to probe visual function.

Adult

Brain Mapping

Female

Humans

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Male

Pattern Recognition, Visual - physiology

Photic Stimulation

Pulvinar - diagnostic imaging

Pulvinar - physiology

Visual Cortex - diagnostic imaging

Visual Cortex - physiology

Visual Perception - physiology

Young Adult

Details

Title: Subtitle: Processing of natural scenes in the human pulvinar
Creators: Daniel R Guest - University of Rochester
Emily J Allen - University of Minnesota
Kendrick N Kay - University of Minnesota
Michael J Arcaro - University of Pennsylvania
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Nature communications, Vol.17(1), pp.789-12
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-67472-3
PMID: 41402333
ISSN: 2041-1723
eISSN: 2041-1723
Grant note: P50 MH132642 / NIMH NIH HHS P50MH132642 / U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | National Institutes of Health (NIH) NRT-UtB1734815 / National Science Foundation (NSF) CRCNS IIS-1822683 / National Science Foundation (NSF)
Language: English
Date published: 12/16/2025
Academic Unit: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Record Identifier: 9985217031502771

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