Our perception of familiar objects is an intricate interplay between the brain’s visual and language systems, a relationship that recent research reveals to be far more interconnected than previously understood. A groundbreaking study published in PLOS Biology by Bo Liu and colleagues from Beijing Normal University uncovers how our ability to store and recall detailed knowledge about objects, such as their typical colors, depends critically on neural communication pathways linking visual processing areas to language centers in the brain.
At the heart of this research lies the ventral occipitotemporal cortex (VOTC), a region known for processing visual attributes of objects. For instance, when one sees a banana, the VOTC is activated by its yellow color. Intriguingly, this brain area also responds when a person thinks of the word “banana” and its associated color, suggesting a neural overlap between perception and conceptual knowledge. Yet, the precise mechanisms through which linguistic knowledge embeds itself into sensory representations remained elusive until now.
The researchers delved into the role of the dorsal anterior temporal lobe (ATL), a language-related brain region implicated in semantic knowledge. Clinical observations of dementia patients with ATL damage reveal pronounced difficulties in recalling object color knowledge despite intact visual perception. This anomaly hinted that the ATL might act as a critical hub integrating language information with visual experiences. To test whether the neural highways connecting these areas are essential for accurate knowledge representation, the study focused on stroke patients with selective white matter damage.
Using a combination of behavioral assessments, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and diffusion-weighted imaging, the study examined 33 stroke patients alongside 35 healthy controls. Participants were tasked with matching objects to their typical colors while brain activity and white matter integrity were meticulously recorded. This multimodal approach enabled the team to investigate not just localized brain activity but also the structural connectivity essential for cross-region communication.
The data revealed that patients with stronger structural connections between the VOTC and language regions exhibited more robust activation patterns corresponding to object color representation. Moreover, these patients performed significantly better on tasks involving color knowledge, underscoring the functional importance of these connections. Conversely, damage to these pathways debilitated both the neural representation and behavioral expression of object color knowledge, despite preserved low-level visual processing.
Importantly, the authors controlled for confounding variables such as the size and location of stroke lesions affecting visual processing areas, ruling out alternative explanations for the observed deficits. They also accounted for general color recognition abilities, ensuring that impairments were specific to the integration of object knowledge rather than perceptual shortcomings. This specificity highlights the sophistication with which sensory and language systems coalesce to build semantic knowledge.
This study challenges the longstanding notion that sensory and language systems operate in largely distinct domains. Instead, it reveals a dynamic interplay whereby language systems actively modulate perceptual representations. The authors propose that language does more than facilitate communication—it is integral to structuring how sensory experiences transform into complex knowledge. This insight redefines our understanding of semantic memory and the neural architecture supporting it.
From a clinical perspective, these findings bear significant implications for the rehabilitation of stroke and dementia patients. Therapies aimed at restoring or augmenting connectivity between language and visual cortices may help recover lost object knowledge and improve cognitive outcomes. The identification of critical pathways provides tangible targets for neuromodulation and personalized intervention strategies.
Beyond clinical realms, this research enriches cognitive neuroscience by illuminating how abstract knowledge emerges from the brain’s interconnected networks. Language production and comprehension, often considered modular faculties, are here shown to reciprocally influence sensory processing. Such neural reciprocity might underpin the flexibility of human cognition, enabling us to conjure vivid mental imagery and nuanced conceptualizations from mere words.
Methodologically, the convergence of behavioral testing with advanced neuroimaging techniques offers a model for investigating complex brain functions. Diffusion imaging’s ability to map white matter tracts combined with fMRI’s real-time activity snapshots allows researchers to link structural connectivity with functional outcomes robustly. This integrative approach paves the way for future explorations into how brain networks underlie diverse cognitive domains.
The revelation that damage to a single set of axonal fibers can disrupt both perception and knowledge elegantly underscores the brain’s dependency on inter-regional communication. In a sense, our experience of the world is governed less by isolated cortical pockets and more by these neural highways that enable cross-talk between domains. As research advances, unraveling these pathways will be key to decoding the cerebral basis of human knowledge.
In summary, Liu et al.’s study presents compelling evidence that our brain integrates perceptual and linguistic information via critical white matter connections. This integration forms the foundation of object knowledge representation and is indispensable for normal cognitive function. By highlighting the neural circuits that couple vision with language, the research unlocks new paradigms for understanding memory, perception, and the brain’s semantic architecture.
Subject of Research: People
Article Title: Object knowledge representation in the human visual cortex requires a connection with the language system
News Publication Date: May 20, 2025
Web References:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003161
References:
Liu B, Wang X, Wang X, Li Y, Han Y, Lu J, et al. (2025) Object knowledge representation in the human visual cortex requires a connection with the language system. PLoS Biol 23(5): e3003161.
Image Credits: PENDING PROOFS Adapted from AUTHOR XX et al., 2025, PLOS Biology, CC-BY 4.0
Keywords: Brain connectivity, object knowledge, ventral occipitotemporal cortex, dorsal anterior temporal lobe, semantic memory, stroke, diffusion imaging, fMRI, language system, visual processing, neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience
