scholarly journals Fusiform Gyrus Face Selectivity Relates to Individual Differences in Facial Recognition Ability

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. 1723-1740 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Furl ◽  
Lúcia Garrido ◽  
Raymond J. Dolan ◽  
Jon Driver ◽  
Bradley Duchaine
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Face Processing ◽  
Statistical Parametric Mapping ◽  
Fusiform Gyrus ◽  
Face Identification ◽  
Functional Responses ◽  
Temporal Lobes ◽  
Repetition Suppression ◽  
Recognition Ability ◽  
Face Selectivity

Regions of the occipital and temporal lobes, including a region in the fusiform gyrus (FG), have been proposed to constitute a “core” visual representation system for faces, in part because they show face selectivity and face repetition suppression. But recent fMRI studies of developmental prosopagnosics (DPs) raise questions about whether these measures relate to face processing skills. Although DPs manifest deficient face processing, most studies to date have not shown unequivocal reductions of functional responses in the proposed core regions. We scanned 15 DPs and 15 non-DP control participants with fMRI while employing factor analysis to derive behavioral components related to face identification or other processes. Repetition suppression specific to facial identities in FG or to expression in FG and STS did not show compelling relationships with face identification ability. However, we identified robust relationships between face selectivity and face identification ability in FG across our sample for several convergent measures, including voxel-wise statistical parametric mapping, peak face selectivity in individually defined “fusiform face areas” (FFAs), and anatomical extents (cluster sizes) of those FFAs. None of these measures showed associations with behavioral expression or object recognition ability. As a group, DPs had reduced face-selective responses in bilateral FFA when compared with non-DPs. Individual DPs were also more likely than non-DPs to lack expected face-selective activity in core regions. These findings associate individual differences in face processing ability with selectivity in core face processing regions. This confirms that face selectivity can provide a valid marker for neural mechanisms that contribute to face identification ability.

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.

Use of Face Information Varies Systematically From Developmental Prosopagnosics to Super-Recognizers

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 300-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Tardif ◽  
Xavier Morin Duchesne ◽  
Sarah Cohan ◽  
Jessica Royer ◽  
Caroline Blais ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Face Recognition ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Face Identification ◽  
Facial Features ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Identification Task ◽  
Spatial Frequencies ◽  
Recognition Ability ◽  
Neurologically Typical

Face-recognition abilities differ largely in the neurologically typical population. We examined how the use of information varies with face-recognition ability from developmental prosopagnosics to super-recognizers. Specifically, we investigated the use of facial features at different spatial scales in 112 individuals, including 5 developmental prosopagnosics and 8 super-recognizers, during an online famous-face-identification task using the bubbles method. We discovered that viewing of the eyes and mouth to identify faces at relatively high spatial frequencies is strongly correlated with face-recognition ability, evaluated from two independent measures. We also showed that the abilities of developmental prosopagnosics and super-recognizers are explained by a model that predicts face-recognition ability from the use of information built solely from participants with intermediate face-recognition abilities ( n = 99). This supports the hypothesis that the use of information varies quantitatively from developmental prosopagnosics to super-recognizers as a function of face-recognition ability.

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.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document