Explicating the Face Perception Network with White Matter Connectivity

Abstract

A network of multiple brain regions is recruited in face perception. Our understanding of the functional properties of this network can be facilitated by explicating the structural white matter connections that exist between its functional nodes. We accomplished this using functional MRI (fMRI) in combination with fiber tractography on high angular resolution diffusion weighted imaging data. We identified the three nodes of the core face network: the “occipital face area” (OFA), the “fusiform face area” (mid-fusiform gyrus or mFus), and the superior temporal sulcus (STS). Additionally, a region of the anterior temporal lobe (aIT), implicated as being important for face perception was identified. Our data suggest that we can further divide the OFA into multiple anatomically distinct clusters – a partitioning consistent with several recent neuroimaging results. More generally, structural white matter connectivity within this network revealed: 1) Connectivity between aIT and mFus, and between aIT and occipital regions, consistent with studies implicating this posterior to anterior pathway as critical to normal face processing; 2) Strong connectivity between mFus and each of the occipital face-selective regions, suggesting that these three areas may subserve different functional roles; 3) Almost no connectivity between STS and mFus, or between STS and the other face-selective regions. Overall, our findings suggest a re-evaluation of the “core” face network with respect to what functional areas are or are not included in this network.

A face-selective ventral occipito-temporal map of the human brain with intracerebral potentials

“…This result is probably because our anatomical regions of interest were larger in size than the corresponding clusters. Face selectivity in the antCoS is in line with the finding of faceselective responses in the anterior segment of the CoS bilaterally in a few relatively recent fMRI studies (14,(20)(21)(22)(23)58). Moreover, we found face-selective responses in the antOTS, which is a major VOTC sulcus, located laterally to the antCoS (47).…”

Beyond the core face-processing network: Intracerebral stimulation of a face-selective area in the right anterior fusiform gyrus elicits transient prosopagnosia

“…In fMRI, these "intermediate" ventral temporal face-selective activations have been reported specifically in the anterior FG in a handful of studies (Talairach y axis around -30; Axelrod & Yovel, 2013;Nasr & Tootell, 2012;Pyles et al, 2013;Rossion et al, 2012). However, anterior FG face-selective activations were rarely reported and were not consistently found in individual subjects in these studies due to a hemodynamic signal drop-out created by magnetic susceptibility artefacts (Axelrod & …”

“…Indeed, this most anterior FFA cluster is located in the middle FG at the level of the mid-fusiform sulcus , whereas our stimulation site was located in the anterior FG, where the mid-fusiform sulcus is not visible ( Figure 3A). However, it is important to note that the critical stimulation site was located posteriorly to most anterior fMRI face-selective activations found in the ventral temporal lobe, these activations being generally found in the anterior segment of the collateral sulcus (Talairach y axis around 0/-10; Avidan et al, 2014;Axelrod & Yovel, 2013;Nasr & Tootell, 2012;Pinsk et al, 2009;Pyles, Verstynen, Schneider, & Tarr, 2013;Rajimehr et al, 2009;Rossion et al, 2012;Tsao et al, 2008).…”

The Neuroscience of Intergroup Relations

“…The neuroscience of intergroup relations 36 distributed processes mediated by anatomical connections (e.g., the extended face processing network; see Friston & Buchel, 2003, for discussion;Pyles, Verstynen, Schneider, & Tarr, 2013).…”