It is of considerable importance to seek a better understanding of the underlying neurological basis of face- and language processing since face recognition and language processing are essential components for meaningful human interaction. Neuroimaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) combined with behavioral tests are experimental tools useful in the investigation of such neurological substrate. Previous investigations have shown that the brain areas involved in these functions include the right fusiform gyrus (RFG) for face processing and the left fusiform gyrus (LFG) for word processing. It is not clear whether the involvement of these brain regions is specific to certain types of information (domain specific), or if they are domain-general. As for the RFG, one hypothesis supports the notion that areas within the RFG are selective to processing faces in humans (Kanwisher, McDermott et al. 1997; Kanwisher 2000); others argue that its recruitment is the consequence of extensive experience viewing faces and thus serves as a general expertise area (Gauthier, Tarr et al. 1999). Despite the differences in function of the fusiform face area (FFA) in the RFG and the """"""""visual word form area"""""""" (VWFA) in the LFG, this latter hypothesis of experience-dependent recruitment of cortex certainly would be plausible for reading, a skill which is phylogenetically much more recent. This study proposes to investigate to what extent both brain regions are amenable to being trained in specific stimulus categories, how much, if any, neural remodeling occurs in a short time period as expertise is attained in categorizing given stimuli, and how long lasting such changes might be. Results from this study will lead to a better understanding of neural processes underlying learning and retention of skill, and thus potentially inform learning and instructional approaches, as well as have important implications for learning and reading disorders.
