Fusiform Gyrus

gyrus fusiformis

The fusiform gyrus, also called the lateral occipitotemporal gyrus, runs along the underside of the temporal and occipital lobes. It lies between the collateral sulcus medially and the occipitotemporal sulcus laterally. It contains the fusiform face area and, on the left, the visual word form area.

Anatomical Data

Structure & Connections

Location	Inferior surface of the temporal and occipital lobes, between the collateral and occipitotemporal sulci
Parts	Fusiform face area Visual word form area (left)
Connections	Primary visual cortex Inferior temporal gyrus Amygdala Inferior longitudinal fasciculus
Blood Supply	Posterior cerebral artery

Biomechanics

Function & Actions

Specialises in high-level visual recognition of faces, written words, bodies and colours.

Clinical Relevance

Clinical Notes

Damage, usually on the right or on both sides, can cause prosopagnosia, an inability to recognise familiar faces. Left fusiform damage can cause pure alexia, loss of reading with preserved writing. Lesions here may also impair colour perception (achromatopsia).

Pathology

Common Injuries & Conditions

Prosopagnosia

Inability to recognise familiar faces despite normal vision, after fusiform damage.

Pure Alexia

Loss of reading with preserved writing, from left fusiform or nearby white matter damage.

Cerebral Achromatopsia

Loss of colour vision from damage to the ventral occipitotemporal cortex.

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