Skip to main content
Erschienen in: Brain Structure and Function 9/2017

11.07.2017 | Original Article

The occipital face area is causally involved in the formation of identity-specific face representations

verfasst von: Géza Gergely Ambrus, Maria Dotzer, Stefan R. Schweinberger, Gyula Kovács

Erschienen in: Brain Structure and Function | Ausgabe 9/2017

Einloggen, um Zugang zu erhalten

Abstract

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and neuroimaging studies suggest a role of the right occipital face area (rOFA) in early facial feature processing. However, the degree to which rOFA is necessary for the encoding of facial identity has been less clear. Here we used a state-dependent TMS paradigm, where stimulation preferentially facilitates attributes encoded by less active neural populations, to investigate the role of the rOFA in face perception and specifically in image-independent identity processing. Participants performed a familiarity decision task for famous and unknown target faces, preceded by brief (200 ms) or longer (3500 ms) exposures to primes which were either an image of a different identity (DiffID), another image of the same identity (SameID), the same image (SameIMG), or a Fourier-randomized noise pattern (NOISE) while either the rOFA or the vertex as control was stimulated by single-pulse TMS. Strikingly, TMS to the rOFA eliminated the advantage of SameID over DiffID condition, thereby disrupting identity-specific priming, while leaving image-specific priming (better performance for SameIMG vs. SameID) unaffected. Our results suggest that the role of rOFA is not limited to low-level feature processing, and emphasize its role in image-independent facial identity processing and the formation of identity-specific memory traces.
Fußnoten
1
Note, however that the neural mechanisms of RS are under heavy discussion (see Barron et al. 2016; Kar and Krekelberg 2016; Vogels 2016 for recent reviews).
 
Literatur
Zurück zum Zitat Bona S, Cattaneo Z, Silvanto J (2016) Investigating the causal role of rOFA in holistic detection of mooney faces and objects: an fMRI-guided TMS study. Brain Stimul 9:594–600CrossRefPubMed Bona S, Cattaneo Z, Silvanto J (2016) Investigating the causal role of rOFA in holistic detection of mooney faces and objects: an fMRI-guided TMS study. Brain Stimul 9:594–600CrossRefPubMed
Zurück zum Zitat Cattaneo Z, Rota F, Vecchi T, Silvanto J (2008) Using state-dependency of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to investigate letter selectivity in the left posterior parietal cortex: a comparison of TMS-priming and TMS-adaptation paradigms. Eur J Neurosci 28:1924–1929. doi:10.1111/j.1460-9568.2008.06466.x CrossRefPubMed Cattaneo Z, Rota F, Vecchi T, Silvanto J (2008) Using state-dependency of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to investigate letter selectivity in the left posterior parietal cortex: a comparison of TMS-priming and TMS-adaptation paradigms. Eur J Neurosci 28:1924–1929. doi:10.​1111/​j.​1460-9568.​2008.​06466.​x CrossRefPubMed
Zurück zum Zitat Cziraki C, Greenlee MW, Kovács G (2010) Neural correlates of high-level adaptation-related after effects. J Neurophysiol 103:1410–1417CrossRefPubMed Cziraki C, Greenlee MW, Kovács G (2010) Neural correlates of high-level adaptation-related after effects. J Neurophysiol 103:1410–1417CrossRefPubMed
Zurück zum Zitat Ewbank MP, Henson RN, Rowe JB et al (2013) Different neural mechanisms within occipitotemporal cortex underlie repetition suppression across same and different-size faces. Cereb Cortex 23:1073–1084. doi:10.1093/cercor/bhs070 CrossRefPubMed Ewbank MP, Henson RN, Rowe JB et al (2013) Different neural mechanisms within occipitotemporal cortex underlie repetition suppression across same and different-size faces. Cereb Cortex 23:1073–1084. doi:10.​1093/​cercor/​bhs070 CrossRefPubMed
Zurück zum Zitat Gilaie-Dotan S, Silvanto J, Schwarzkopf DS, Rees G (2010) Investigating representations of facial identity in human ventral visual cortex with transcranial magnetic stimulation. Front Hum Neurosci 4:50PubMedPubMedCentral Gilaie-Dotan S, Silvanto J, Schwarzkopf DS, Rees G (2010) Investigating representations of facial identity in human ventral visual cortex with transcranial magnetic stimulation. Front Hum Neurosci 4:50PubMedPubMedCentral
Zurück zum Zitat Guntupalli JS, Wheeler KG, Gobbini MI (2017) Disentangling the representation of identity from head view along the human face processing pathway. Cereb Cortex 27(1):46–53CrossRefPubMed Guntupalli JS, Wheeler KG, Gobbini MI (2017) Disentangling the representation of identity from head view along the human face processing pathway. Cereb Cortex 27(1):46–53CrossRefPubMed
Zurück zum Zitat Kovács G, Schweinberger SR (2016) Repetition suppression—an integrative view. Cortex 80:1–4CrossRefPubMed Kovács G, Schweinberger SR (2016) Repetition suppression—an integrative view. Cortex 80:1–4CrossRefPubMed
Zurück zum Zitat Pitcher D, Walsh V, Yovel G, Duchaine B (2007) TMS evidence for the involvement of the right occipital face area in early face processing. Curr Biol 17:1568–1573CrossRefPubMed Pitcher D, Walsh V, Yovel G, Duchaine B (2007) TMS evidence for the involvement of the right occipital face area in early face processing. Curr Biol 17:1568–1573CrossRefPubMed
Zurück zum Zitat Rossion B (2008) Constraining the cortical face network by neuroimaging studies of acquired prosopagnosia. Neuroimage 40:423–426CrossRefPubMed Rossion B (2008) Constraining the cortical face network by neuroimaging studies of acquired prosopagnosia. Neuroimage 40:423–426CrossRefPubMed
Zurück zum Zitat Rossion B (2014) Understanding face perception by means of prosopagnosia and neuroimaging. Front Biosci Elit 6E:258–307CrossRef Rossion B (2014) Understanding face perception by means of prosopagnosia and neuroimaging. Front Biosci Elit 6E:258–307CrossRef
Zurück zum Zitat Rossion B, Caldara R, Seghier M et al (2003) A network of occipito-temporal face-sensitive areas besides the right middle fusiform gyrus is necessary for normal face processing. Brain 126:2381–2395. doi:10.1093/brain/awg241 CrossRefPubMed Rossion B, Caldara R, Seghier M et al (2003) A network of occipito-temporal face-sensitive areas besides the right middle fusiform gyrus is necessary for normal face processing. Brain 126:2381–2395. doi:10.​1093/​brain/​awg241 CrossRefPubMed
Zurück zum Zitat Rotshtein P, Henson RN, Treves A et al (2005) Morphing Marilyn into Maggie dissociates physical and identity face representations in the brain. Nat Neurosci 8:107–113. doi:10.1038/nn1370 CrossRefPubMed Rotshtein P, Henson RN, Treves A et al (2005) Morphing Marilyn into Maggie dissociates physical and identity face representations in the brain. Nat Neurosci 8:107–113. doi:10.​1038/​nn1370 CrossRefPubMed
Zurück zum Zitat Schweinberger SR, Pickering EC, Jentzsch I et al (2002b) Event-related brain potential evidence for a response of inferior temporal cortex to familiar face repetitions. Cogn Brain Res 14:398–409. doi:10.1016/S0926-6410(02)00142-8 CrossRef Schweinberger SR, Pickering EC, Jentzsch I et al (2002b) Event-related brain potential evidence for a response of inferior temporal cortex to familiar face repetitions. Cogn Brain Res 14:398–409. doi:10.​1016/​S0926-6410(02)00142-8 CrossRef
Zurück zum Zitat Silvanto J, Muggleton N, Walsh V (2008b) State-dependency in brain stimulation studies of perception and cognition. Trends Cogn Sci 12:447–454CrossRefPubMed Silvanto J, Muggleton N, Walsh V (2008b) State-dependency in brain stimulation studies of perception and cognition. Trends Cogn Sci 12:447–454CrossRefPubMed
Zurück zum Zitat Solomon-Harris LM, Mullin CR, Steeves JKE (2013) TMS to the “occipital face area” affects recognition but not categorization of faces. Brain Cogn 83:245–251CrossRefPubMed Solomon-Harris LM, Mullin CR, Steeves JKE (2013) TMS to the “occipital face area” affects recognition but not categorization of faces. Brain Cogn 83:245–251CrossRefPubMed
Zurück zum Zitat Steeves JKE, Culham JC, Duchaine BC et al (2006) The fusiform face area is not sufficient for face recognition: evidence from a patient with dense prosopagnosia and no occipital face area. Neuropsychologia 44:594–609CrossRefPubMed Steeves JKE, Culham JC, Duchaine BC et al (2006) The fusiform face area is not sufficient for face recognition: evidence from a patient with dense prosopagnosia and no occipital face area. Neuropsychologia 44:594–609CrossRefPubMed
Zurück zum Zitat Vogels R (2016) Sources of adaptation of inferior temporal cortical responses. Cortex 80:185–195CrossRefPubMed Vogels R (2016) Sources of adaptation of inferior temporal cortical responses. Cortex 80:185–195CrossRefPubMed
Zurück zum Zitat Yang H, Susilo T, Duchaine B (2016) The anterior temporal face area contains invariant representations of face identity that can persist despite the loss of right FFA and OFA. Cereb Cortex 26:1096–1107. doi:10.1093/cercor/bhu289 CrossRefPubMed Yang H, Susilo T, Duchaine B (2016) The anterior temporal face area contains invariant representations of face identity that can persist despite the loss of right FFA and OFA. Cereb Cortex 26:1096–1107. doi:10.​1093/​cercor/​bhu289 CrossRefPubMed
Zurück zum Zitat Zimmer M, Zbant A, Németh K et al (2015) Adaptation duration dissociates category-, image-, and person-specific processes on face-evoked event-related potentials. Front Psychol 6:1–13. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01945 CrossRef Zimmer M, Zbant A, Németh K et al (2015) Adaptation duration dissociates category-, image-, and person-specific processes on face-evoked event-related potentials. Front Psychol 6:1–13. doi:10.​3389/​fpsyg.​2015.​01945 CrossRef
Metadaten
Titel
The occipital face area is causally involved in the formation of identity-specific face representations
verfasst von
Géza Gergely Ambrus
Maria Dotzer
Stefan R. Schweinberger
Gyula Kovács
Publikationsdatum
11.07.2017
Verlag
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Erschienen in
Brain Structure and Function / Ausgabe 9/2017
Print ISSN: 1863-2653
Elektronische ISSN: 1863-2661
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-017-1467-2

Weitere Artikel der Ausgabe 9/2017

Brain Structure and Function 9/2017 Zur Ausgabe

Leitlinien kompakt für die Neurologie

Mit medbee Pocketcards sicher entscheiden.

Seit 2022 gehört die medbee GmbH zum Springer Medizin Verlag

Update Neurologie

Bestellen Sie unseren Fach-Newsletter und bleiben Sie gut informiert.