Visual cortex is an enormously complex structure comprising about a third of the cortical surface.
First, we are attempting to find and characterize the fundamental components of higher-level vision. Third, we are investigating the origins and plasticity of cortical modules, by testing whether new ones can develop and whether old ones can move to new cortical sites when their original loci are damaged. Considerable progress has already been made. We have anatomically localized and functionally characterized three new modular components of higher-level vision. We have further shown that these modular components of vision do not run automatically, but are strongly affected by a variety of top-down influences.