Neural response to perception of volume in the lateral occipital complex

Projection of a 3D scene onto the 2D retina necessarily entails a loss of i nformation, yet perceivers experience a world populated with volumetric obj ects. Using simultaneous behavioral and neural (fMRI) measures, we identify neural bases of volume perception. Neural activity in the lateral occipita l cortex increased with presentation bf 3D volumes relative to presentation of 2D shapes. Neural activity also modulated with perceived volume, indepe ndent of image information. When behavioral responses indicated that observ ers saw ambiguous images as 3D volumes, neural response increased; when beh avioral data revealed a 2D interpretation, neural response waned. Crucially , the physical stimulus was identical under both interpretations; only the percept of volume can account for the increased neural activity.