Holistic face categorization in higher-level cortical visual areas of the normal and prosopagnosic brain: towards a non-hierarchical view of face perception
How a visual stimulus is initially categorized as a face in a network of human brain areas remains largely unclear. Hierarchical neuro-computational models of face perception assume that the visual stimulus is first decomposed in local parts in lower order visual areas. These parts would then be com...
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Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnhum.2010.00225/full |
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doaj-11ec1dfc3bc44345bd1849b8a7fe48742020-11-25T03:22:50ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Human Neuroscience1662-51612011-01-01410.3389/fnhum.2010.002251636Holistic face categorization in higher-level cortical visual areas of the normal and prosopagnosic brain: towards a non-hierarchical view of face perceptionBruno Rossion0Laurence Dricot1Rainer Goebel2Thomas Busigny3Face Categorization Lab,Institut de Recherches en Sciences Psychologogiques et Institut de Neurosciences,Université Catholique de LouvainFace Categorization Lab,Institut de Recherches en Sciences Psychologogiques et Institut de Neurosciences,Université Catholique de LouvainUniversity of MaastrichtFace Categorization Lab,Institut de Recherches en Sciences Psychologogiques et Institut de Neurosciences,Université Catholique de LouvainHow a visual stimulus is initially categorized as a face in a network of human brain areas remains largely unclear. Hierarchical neuro-computational models of face perception assume that the visual stimulus is first decomposed in local parts in lower order visual areas. These parts would then be combined into a global representation in higher order face-sensitive areas of the occipito-temporal cortex. Here we tested this view in fMRI with visual stimuli that are categorized as faces based on their global configuration rather than their local parts (2-tones Mooney figures and Arcimboldo’s facelike paintings). Compared to the same inverted visual stimuli that are not categorized as faces, these stimuli activated the right middle fusiform gyrus (Fusiform face area, FFA) and superior temporal sulcus (pSTS), with no significant activation in the posteriorly located inferior occipital gyrus (i.e., no occipital face area, OFA). This observation is strengthened by behavioral and neural evidence for normal face categorization of these stimuli in a brain-damaged prosopagnosic patient (PS) whose intact right middle fusiform gyrus and superior temporal sulcus are devoid of any potential face-sensitive inputs from the lesioned right inferior occipital cortex. Together, these observations indicate that face-preferential activation may emerge in higher order visual areas of the right hemisphere without any face-preferential inputs from lower order visual areas, supporting a non-hierarchical view of face perception in the visual cortex.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnhum.2010.00225/fullProsopagnosiaVisual Cortexface perceptionFFAfusiform gyrusmooney |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Bruno Rossion Laurence Dricot Rainer Goebel Thomas Busigny |
spellingShingle |
Bruno Rossion Laurence Dricot Rainer Goebel Thomas Busigny Holistic face categorization in higher-level cortical visual areas of the normal and prosopagnosic brain: towards a non-hierarchical view of face perception Frontiers in Human Neuroscience Prosopagnosia Visual Cortex face perception FFA fusiform gyrus mooney |
author_facet |
Bruno Rossion Laurence Dricot Rainer Goebel Thomas Busigny |
author_sort |
Bruno Rossion |
title |
Holistic face categorization in higher-level cortical visual areas of the normal and prosopagnosic brain: towards a non-hierarchical view of face perception |
title_short |
Holistic face categorization in higher-level cortical visual areas of the normal and prosopagnosic brain: towards a non-hierarchical view of face perception |
title_full |
Holistic face categorization in higher-level cortical visual areas of the normal and prosopagnosic brain: towards a non-hierarchical view of face perception |
title_fullStr |
Holistic face categorization in higher-level cortical visual areas of the normal and prosopagnosic brain: towards a non-hierarchical view of face perception |
title_full_unstemmed |
Holistic face categorization in higher-level cortical visual areas of the normal and prosopagnosic brain: towards a non-hierarchical view of face perception |
title_sort |
holistic face categorization in higher-level cortical visual areas of the normal and prosopagnosic brain: towards a non-hierarchical view of face perception |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
issn |
1662-5161 |
publishDate |
2011-01-01 |
description |
How a visual stimulus is initially categorized as a face in a network of human brain areas remains largely unclear. Hierarchical neuro-computational models of face perception assume that the visual stimulus is first decomposed in local parts in lower order visual areas. These parts would then be combined into a global representation in higher order face-sensitive areas of the occipito-temporal cortex. Here we tested this view in fMRI with visual stimuli that are categorized as faces based on their global configuration rather than their local parts (2-tones Mooney figures and Arcimboldo’s facelike paintings). Compared to the same inverted visual stimuli that are not categorized as faces, these stimuli activated the right middle fusiform gyrus (Fusiform face area, FFA) and superior temporal sulcus (pSTS), with no significant activation in the posteriorly located inferior occipital gyrus (i.e., no occipital face area, OFA). This observation is strengthened by behavioral and neural evidence for normal face categorization of these stimuli in a brain-damaged prosopagnosic patient (PS) whose intact right middle fusiform gyrus and superior temporal sulcus are devoid of any potential face-sensitive inputs from the lesioned right inferior occipital cortex. Together, these observations indicate that face-preferential activation may emerge in higher order visual areas of the right hemisphere without any face-preferential inputs from lower order visual areas, supporting a non-hierarchical view of face perception in the visual cortex. |
topic |
Prosopagnosia Visual Cortex face perception FFA fusiform gyrus mooney |
url |
http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnhum.2010.00225/full |
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