The inferior temporal gyrus forms the lower edge of the lateral temporal surface and wraps onto the underside of the lobe, bounded by the inferior temporal sulcus above and the occipitotemporal sulcus below. It belongs to the ventral visual stream, the 'what' pathway. It helps with recognising objects and their meaning.
| Location | Inferolateral margin of the temporal lobe, below the inferior temporal sulcus |
|---|---|
| Parts |
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| Connections |
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| Blood Supply | Middle cerebral artery; Posterior cerebral artery (inferior temporal branches) |
Processes complex visual information for recognising objects and linking them with stored knowledge.
Lesions can cause visual agnosia, an inability to recognise objects despite normal eyesight. It is often affected in temporal lobe tumours and in herpes simplex encephalitis. Atrophy here contributes to semantic loss in some dementias.
Failure to recognise seen objects despite intact vision, after damage to the ventral visual stream.
Viral infection affecting the inferior and medial temporal lobes, causing fever, confusion and seizures.
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