Scene perception-memory pairing extends to superior parietal cortex

Abstract

Visual scene analysis relies on a set of scene-selective regions in posterior cerebral cortex (OPA, PPA, MPA), with a paired memory-responsive counterpart located in anterior (LPMA, VPMA) or overlapping cortex (MPMA). The interaction between these pairs of regions is thought to integrate visual input with mnemonic context. Recently, a fourth scene-perception area in superior parietal cortex (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 (referred to here as SPMA) immediately anterior and dorsal to SPA. 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 the fourth cortical surface. The widespread anatomical coupling between scene-perception and memory processes reflects the importance of this interaction for flexible, context-grounded navigation.