Annotation: The Cognitive Neuroscience of Face Recognition: Implications for Developmental Disorders

Abstract

Face recognition is often considered to be a modular (encapsulated) function. This annotation supports the proposal that faces are special, but suggests that their identification makes use of general-purpose cortical systems that are implicated in high-level vision and also in memory and learning more generally. These systems can be considered to function within two distinct cortical streams: a medial stream (for learning and salience of faces encountered) and a lateral stream (for distributed representations of visual properties and identities of faces). Function in the lateral stream, especially, may be critically dependent on the normal development of magnocellular vision. The relevance of face recognition anomalies in three developmental syndromes (Autism, Williams syndrome, and Turner syndrome) and the two-route model sketched above is considered.

Investigations of face expertise in the social developmental disorders

“…12,13 On the other hand, others argue that, even without a primary perceptual deficit, the presence of an SDD may impair the acquisition of normal face expertise during childhood. [14][15][16][17] Since the ability to discriminate subtle differences between faces develops during childhood and requires exposure and interest, 18 the development of this perceptual skill may be hampered by a social apathy that may extend to the avoidance of looking at faces. 19,20 A number of studies have documented difficulties with recognition of known faces 21 and new faces 22 and abnormal face-induced responses in event-related potentials 23 and magnetoencephalography.…”

Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…As we have discussed earlier in this chapter, research on face processing and brain activity in typical individuals has concluded that there is a specific area in the brain that is activated when individuals are presented with face stimuli (Farah, 1996;Elgar & Campbell, 2001;Halit et al, 2004). It is well established that when hemispheric asymmetry for face processing is observed, the right rather than the left hemisphere is implicated in face processing, and specifically the middle part of the right fusiform gyrus shows activation and has been named 'Fusiform Face Area' (FFA) (Elgar & Campbell, 2001) (See Chapter 2 for details).…”

“…Where hemispheric asymmetry occurs, the right rather than the left hemisphere is implicated in face processing. The middle part of the right fusiform gyrus shows activation in all reported studies and has been named the 'Fusiform Face Area' (FFA) (Elgar & Campbell, 2001). Also, behavioural studies using unilateral presentation of face images generally demonstrated a right hemisphere (left visual field) superiority in face recognition.…”

“…It is well established that when hemispheric asymmetry for face processing is observed, the right rather than the left hemisphere is implicated in face processing, and specifically the middle part of the right fusiform gyrus shows activation and has been named 'Fusiform Face Area' (FFA) (Elgar & Campbell, 2001) (See Chapter 2 for details). What about individuals with autism though?…”

“…There is a great deal evidence to support the notion that this area in the brain is activated when participants are presented with face stimuli, and it is so specific to faces that it will not respond to animal or human images or body parts (Kanwisher et al, 1997;Elgar & Campbell, 2001;Halit et al, 2004;Yovel & Kanwisher, 2004). Despite evidence which suggested that the FFA is not a face area but rather an expertise area , the right fusiform gyrus is still found as the area most activated when humans are presented with facial stimuli (for detailed discussion refer to Chapter 2, section 2.4.7.…”