doi.org
Scene Perception–Memory Pairing Extends to the Superior Parietal Cortex
Visual scene analysis relies on a set of scene-selective regions in the posterior cerebral cortex (OPA, PPA, MPA), with a paired memory-responsive counterpart located in the anterior (LPMA, VPMA) or overlapping (MPMA) cortex. The interaction between these pairs of regions is thought to integrate visual input with mnemonic context. Recently, a fourth scene perception area in the superior parietal cortex (the superior place area, SPA) was identified, with a proposed role in visually guided navigation. Whether this region also has an anterior paired memory region is currently unknown. Across two independent fMRI datasets (total N = 24, 14 females) using static or dynamic stimuli and distinct memory tasks, we show that recalling visual scenes evokes robust responses in a region immediately anterior and dorsal to SPA (referred to here as the superior place memory area, SPMA). During resting-state fMRI, SPA preferentially coupled with the other scene perception areas, while SPMA preferentially coupled with the other place memory areas. At the whole-brain level, seed-based connectivity revealed that SPA sits at the confluence of four processing streams spanning regions implicated in egocentric scene perception, map-based navigation, perspective taking, and goal-directed movement. These findings extend the perception–memory motif associated with visual scene processing to a fourth cortical surface. The widespread anatomical coupling between scene perception and memory processes reflects the importance of this interaction for flexible, context-grounded navigation.
