scholarly journals Brain Activation during Face Perception: Evidence of a Developmental Change

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 308-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. H. Aylward ◽  
J. E. Park ◽  
K. M. Field ◽  
A. C. Parsons ◽  
T. L. Richards ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Face Processing ◽  
Visual Processing ◽  
Developmental Change ◽  
Spatial Relations ◽  
Fusiform Gyrus ◽  
Behavioral Measure ◽  
Facial Features ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Behavioral Studies ◽  
Mri Scans

Behavioral studies suggest that children under age 10 process faces using a piecemeal strategy based on individual distinctive facial features, whereas older children use a configural strategy based on the spatial relations among the face's features. The purpose of this study was to determine whether activation of the fusiform gyrus, which is involved in face processing in adults, is greater during face processing in older children (12–14 years) than in younger children (8– 10 years). Functional MRI scans were obtained while children viewed faces and houses. A developmental change was observed: Older children, but not younger children, showed significantly more activation in bilateral fusiform gyri for faces than for houses. Activation in the fusiform gyrus correlated significantly with age and with a behavioral measure of configural face processing. Regions believed to be involved in processing basic facial features were activated in both younger and older children. Some evidence was also observed for greater activation for houses versus faces for the older children than for the younger children, suggesting that processing of these two stimulus types becomes more differentiated as children age. The current results provide biological insight into changes in visual processing of faces that occur with normal development.

Hemispheric Asymmetries for Whole-Based and Part-Based Face Processing in the Human Fusiform Gyrus

2000 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 793-802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Rossion ◽  
Laurence Dricot ◽  
Anne Devolder ◽  
Jean-Michel Bodart ◽  
Marc Crommelinck ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Face Processing ◽  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Fusiform Gyrus ◽  
Homologous Region ◽  
Double Dissociation ◽  
Face Features ◽  
Behavioral Studies ◽  
Anatomical Localization ◽  
The Right ◽  
New Evidence

Behavioral studies indicate a right hemisphere advantage for processing a face as a whole and a left hemisphere superiority for processing based on face features. The present PET study identifies the anatomical localization of these effects in well-defined regions of the middle fusiform gyri of both hemispheres. The right middle fusiform gyrus, previously described as a face-specific region, was found to be more activated when matching whole faces than face parts whereas this pattern of activity was reversed in the left homologous region. These lateralized differences appeared to be specific to faces since control objects processed either as wholes or parts did not induce any change of activity within these regions. This double dissociation between two modes of face processing brings new evidence regarding the lateralized localization of face individualization mechanisms in the human brain.

Separable Mechanisms in Face Processing: Evidence from Hemispheric Specialization

1991 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynn A. Hillger ◽  
Olivier Koenig
Keyword(s):  
Left Hemisphere ◽  
Face Processing ◽  
Visual Processing ◽  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Hemispheric Specialization ◽  
Facial Feature ◽  
General Purpose ◽  
Facial Features ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
The Right

This article addresses three issues in face processing: First, is face processing primarily accomplished by the right hemisphere, or do both left- and right-hemisphere mechanisms play important roles? Second, are the mechanisms the same as those involved in general visual processing, or are they dedicated to face processing? Third, how can the mechanisms be characterized more precisely in terms of processes such as visual parsing? We explored these issues using the divided visual field methodology in four experiments. Experiments 1 and 2 provided evidence that both left- and right-hemisphere mechanisms are involved in face processing. In Experiment 1, a right-hemisphere advantage was found for both Same and Different trials when Same faces were identical and Different faces differed on all three internal facial features. Experiment 2 replicated the right-hemisphere advantage for Same trials but showed a left-hemisphere advantage for Different trials when one of three facial features differed between the target and the probe faces. Experiment 3 showed that the right-hemisphere advantage obtained with upright faces in Experiment 2 disappeared when the faces were inverted. This result suggests that there are right-hemisphere mechanisms specialized for processing upright faces, although it could not be determined whether these mechanisms are completely face-specific. Experiment 3 also provided evidence that the left-hemisphere mechanisms utilized in face processing tasks are general-purpose visual mechanisms not restricted to particular classes of visual stimuli. In Experiment 4, a left-hemisphere advantage was obtained when the task was to find one facial feature that was the same between the target and the probe faces. We suggest that left-hemisphere advantages shown in face processing are due to the parsing and analysis of the local elements of a face.

scholarly journals Face Adaptation Effects on Non-Configural Face Information

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 176-192
Author(s):  
Ronja Mueller ◽  
Sandra Utz ◽  
Claus-Christian Carbon ◽  
Tilo Strobach
Keyword(s):  
Face Processing ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Spatial Relations ◽  
Facial Features ◽  
Configural Information ◽  
Facial Memory ◽  
Facial Information ◽  
Face Adaptation ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Adaptation Effects

Inspecting new visual information in a face can affect the perception of subsequently seen faces. In experimental settings for example, previously seen manipulated versions of a face can lead to a clear bias of the participant’s perception of subsequent images: Original images are then perceived as manipulated in the opposite direction of the adaptor while images that are more similar to the adaptor are perceived as normal or natural. These so-called face adaptation effects can be a useful tool to provide information about which facial information is processed and stored in facial memory. Most experiments so far used variants of the second-order relationship configural information (e.g., spatial relations between facial features) when investigating these effects. However, non-configural face information (e.g., color) was mainly neglected when focusing on face adaptation, although this type of information plays an important role in face processing. Therefore, we investigated adaptation effects of non-configural face information by employing brightness alterations. Our results provide clear evidence for brightness adaptation effects (Experiment 1). These effects are face-specific to some extent (Experiments 2 and 3) and robust over time (Experiments 4 and 5). They support the assumption that non-configural face information is not only relevant in face perception but also in face retention. Brightness information seems to be stored in memory and thus is even involved in face recognition.

scholarly journals Dysfunctional and compensatory brain networks underlying math fluency

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle AN La ◽  
Debjani Saha ◽  
Karen F Berman ◽  
Hao Yang Tan
Keyword(s):  
Visual Processing ◽  
Effective Connectivity ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Fusiform Gyrus ◽  
Angular Gyrus ◽  
Math Fluency ◽  
Compensatory Mechanisms ◽  
Occupational Outcomes ◽  
Mri Scans ◽  
High Level

AbstractPoor math fluency, or timed calculation (TC) performance, is a characteristic of dyscalculia, a common cause of poor educational and occupational outcomes. Here, we examined neural substrates of dysfunctional math fluency and potential compensatory mechanisms. We performed functional MRI scans of participants with divergent performance on an event-related TC paradigm (poor TC, <0.5 accuracy, n=34; vs. controls, accuracy>0.8, n=34). Individuals with poor TC had decreased intraparietal sulcus (IPS) engagement, and decreased IPS-striatal and IPS-prefrontal effective connectivity. We next examined an independent well-performing sample (TC accuracy>0.8, n=100), stratified according to relatively low-versus high-IPS activation during TC. Relatively reduced IPS engagement, or patterns of IPS-related effective connectivity similar to those with poor TC, appeared to be compensated for by increased engagement of effective connectivity involving fusiform gyrus, angular gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus and striatum. Neural connectivity involving high-level visual processing in fusiform gyrus and related ventral cortical networks may be relevant in compensatory function ameliorating aspects of dyscalculia and mathematical difficulty.

Reduced Fusiform Gyrus Activation During Face Processing in Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Matthew C. Hocking ◽  
Robert T. Schultz ◽  
Jane E. Minturn ◽  
Cole Brodsky ◽  
May Albee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Tumor ◽  
Social Behavior ◽  
Face Processing ◽  
Pediatric Brain Tumor ◽  
Brain Activation ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Fusiform Gyrus ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Difficulties ◽  
Pediatric Brain

Abstract Objective: The neural mechanisms contributing to the social problems of pediatric brain tumor survivors (PBTS) are unknown. Face processing is important to social communication, social behavior, and peer acceptance. Research with other populations with social difficulties, namely autism spectrum disorder, suggests atypical brain activation in areas important for face processing. This case-controlled functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study compared brain activation during face processing in PBTS and typically developing (TD) youth. Methods: Participants included 36 age-, gender-, and IQ-matched youth (N = 18 per group). PBTS were at least 5 years from diagnosis and 2 years from the completion of tumor therapy. fMRI data were acquired during a face identity task and a control condition. Groups were compared on activation magnitude within the fusiform gyrus for the faces condition compared to the control condition. Correlational analyses evaluated associations between neuroimaging metrics and indices of social behavior for PBTS participants. Results: Both groups demonstrated face-specific activation within the social brain for the faces condition compared to the control condition. PBTS showed significantly decreased activation for faces in the medial portions of the fusiform gyrus bilaterally compared to TD youth, ps ≤ .004. Higher peak activity in the left fusiform gyrus was associated with better socialization (r = .53, p < .05). Conclusions: This study offers initial evidence of atypical activation in a key face processing area in PBTS. Such atypical activation may underlie some of the social difficulties of PBTS. Social cognitive neuroscience methodologies may elucidate the neurobiological bases for PBTS social behavior.

External and internal facial features modulate processing of vertical but not horizontal spatial relations

2019 ◽  
Vol 157 ◽  
pp. 44-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Günter Meinhardt ◽  
David Kurbel ◽  
Bozana Meinhardt-Injac ◽  
Malte Persike
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Relations ◽  
Facial Features

scholarly journals The Connectivity Fingerprint of the Fusiform Gyrus Captures the Risk of Developing Autism in Infants with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 2199-2214
Author(s):  
Benoit Scherrer ◽  
Anna K Prohl ◽  
Maxime Taquet ◽  
Kush Kapur ◽  
Jurriaan M Peters ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tuberous Sclerosis ◽  
Tuberous Sclerosis Complex ◽  
Face Processing ◽  
Genetic Disorder ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
The Body ◽  
Fusiform Gyrus ◽  
Benign Tumors ◽  
Anatomical Connectivity

Abstract Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by benign tumors throughout the body; it is generally diagnosed early in life and has a high prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), making it uniquely valuable in studying the early development of autism, before neuropsychiatric symptoms become apparent. One well-documented deficit in ASD is an impairment in face processing. In this work, we assessed whether anatomical connectivity patterns of the fusiform gyrus, a central structure in face processing, capture the risk of developing autism early in life. We longitudinally imaged TSC patients at 1, 2, and 3 years of age with diffusion compartment imaging. We evaluated whether the anatomical connectivity fingerprint of the fusiform gyrus was associated with the risk of developing autism measured by the Autism Observation Scale for Infants (AOSI). Our findings suggest that the fusiform gyrus connectivity captures the risk of developing autism as early as 1 year of age and provides evidence that abnormal fusiform gyrus connectivity increases with age. Moreover, the identified connections that best capture the risk of developing autism involved the fusiform gyrus and limbic and paralimbic regions that were consistent with the ASD phenotype, involving an increased number of left-lateralized structures with increasing age.

Biometrical Processing of Faces in Security and Forensics

2010 ◽  
pp. 79-103
Author(s):  
Pawel T. Puslecki
Keyword(s):  
Face Recognition ◽  
Face Detection ◽  
Face Processing ◽  
Facial Features ◽  
Comprehensive Description ◽  
Facial Processing ◽  
Human Faces

The aim of this chapter is the overall and comprehensive description of the machine face processing issue and presentation of its usefulness in security and forensic applications. The chapter overviews the methods of face processing as the field deriving from various disciplines. After a brief introduction to the field, the conclusions concerning human processing of faces that have been drawn by the psychology researchers and neuroscientists are described. Then the most important tasks related to the computer facial processing are shown: face detection, face recognition and processing of facial features, and the main strategies as well as the methods applied in the related fields are presented. Finally, the applications of digital biometrical processing of human faces are presented.

Visual Processing of Faces in Temporal Cortex: Physiological Evidence for a Modular Organization and Possible Anatomical Correlates

1991 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. H. Harries ◽  
D. I. Perrett
Keyword(s):  
Parietal Cortex ◽  
Face Processing ◽  
Visual Processing ◽  
Fluorescent Dyes ◽  
Parietal Lobe ◽  
Temporal Cortex ◽  
Superior Temporal Sulcus ◽  
Modular Organization ◽  
Spatial Awareness ◽  
Inferior Parietal Lobe

Physiological recordings along the length of the upper bank of the superior temporal sulcus (STS) revealed cells each of which was selectively responsive to a particular view of the head and body. Such cells were grouped in large patches 3-4 mm across. The patches were separated by regions of cortex containing cells responsive to other stimuli. The distribution of cells projecting from temporal cortex to the posterior regions of the inferior parietal lobe was studied with retrogradely transported fluorescent dyes. A strong temporoparietal projection was found originating from the upper bank of the STS. Cells projecting to the parietal cortex occurred in large patches or bands. The size and periodicity of modules defined through anatomical connections matched the functional subdivisions of the STS cortex involved in face processing evident in physiological recordings. It is speculated that the temporoparietal projections could provide a route through which temporal lobe analysis of facial signals about the direction of others' attention can be passed to parietal systems concerned with spatial awareness.

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