Area TE is required for normal learning of visual categories based on perceptual similarity. To evaluate whether category learning changes neural activity in area TE, we trained two monkeys (both male) implanted with multielectrode arrays to categorize natural images of cats and dogs. Neural activity during a passive viewing task was compared pre- and post-training. After the category training, the accuracy of abstract category decoding improved. Single units became more category selective, the proportion of single units with category selectivity increased, and units sustained their category-specific responses for longer. Visual category learning thus appears to enhance category separability in area TE by driving changes in the stimulus selectivity of individual neurons and by recruiting more units to the active network.

区域 TE 是基于感知相似性的视觉类别的正常学习所必需的。为了评估类别学习是否会改变 TE 区域的神经活动，我们训练了两只植入多电极阵列的猴子（均为雄性）对猫和狗的自然图像进行分类。比较训练前后被动观看任务期间的神经活动。类别训练后，抽象类别解码的准确性有所提高。单个单元的类别选择性更高，具有类别选择性的单个单元的比例增加，并且单元的特定类别响应维持的时间更长。因此，视觉类别学习似乎通过驱动单个神经元的刺激选择性的变化和通过向活动网络募集更多单位来增强 TE 区域的类别可分离性。