一個活躍的移動的人能夠觸發(fā)大腦視覺皮層的不同區(qū)域，因為識別單個的人對社會交往是十分重要的。因此評估視覺系統(tǒng)一個重要的問題是，視覺皮層是如何處理識別“生物活動”。

在一項研究中，研究人員使用詳細的功能性核磁共振(fMRI)對志愿者進行掃描，以探索這種處理過程的機制。這種廣泛應用的fMRI分析方法使用無害的磁場和電磁波，測定大腦不同區(qū)域的血流，這能夠反應大腦的活動。

在2006年3月16日《神經元》期刊上的一篇論文中，Marius Peelen醫(yī)生和來自Wales、Bangor大學的合作者，發(fā)現(xiàn)視覺皮層的生物活動，不僅僅使用了已知的檢測他人活動的特定區(qū)域，還能夠使用識別處于靜態(tài)人的區(qū)域。

fMRI Reveals How Brain Sees People in Motion
 
A bouncing and a moving person trigger different areas of the brain’s visual cortex, since recognizing individuals is vital for social interaction. Therefore, an important question in evaluating the visual system is how the visual cortex processes the specific recognition of “biologic motion.”

In a new study, scientists have utilized detailed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans of human volunteers to provide new insights on this process. The widely used analytic method of fMRI uses harmless magnetic fields and radiowaves to measure blood flow in brain regions, which reflects brain activity.

In an article in the March 16, 2006, issue of the journal Neuron, Dr. Marius Peelen and coworkers, from the University of Wales, Bangor, discovered that in identifying biologic motion the visual cortex not only uses a certain area known to detect motion of other people, but engages regions that react to the static human form as well.