Hominoid-specific sulcal variability is related to face perception ability

Abstract

Human perception requires complex cortical networks that function at neuroanatomical scales of microns and temporal scales of milliseconds. Despite this complexity, what if just one morphological feature of the brain could predict perceptual ability? Here, we tested this hypothesis with pre-registered analyses of neuroanatomy and face perception in neurotypical controls (NTs) and individuals with developmental prosopagnosia (DPs). Results show that the length of the mid- fusiform sulcus (MFS), a hominoid-specific tertiary sulcus in ventral temporal cortex (VTC), was shorter in DPs than NTs. Furthermore, individual differences in MFS length in the right, but not left, hemisphere predicted individual differences in face perception. These results support theories linking brain structure and function to perception, as well as indicate that one feature -- variability in MFS length -- can predict face perception. Finally, these findings add to growing evidence supporting a role of morphological variability of late developing, tertiary sulci and individual differences in cognition.

Ventral temporal and posteromedial sulcal morphology in autism spectrum disorder

“…First and second, the largest effect was that individual differences in cortical thickness across all VTC and PMC sulci were larger in individuals with ASD compared to NTs – replicating and extending previous findings (Ammons et al, 2021) to other sulci in VTC aside from the MFS, as well as to PMC sulci. Third, the MFS was shorter in individuals with ASD compared to NTs, which is consistent with recent findings showing that the MFS is also shorter in individuals with developmental prosopagnosia compared to NTs (Parker et al, 2022). Fourth, correlation analyses between tertiary sulci in both regions revealed that some, but not all, tertiary sulcal morphological features of VTC and PMC are correlated in ASD individuals.…”

“…Given recent work identifying a shorter MFS length in individuals with developmental prosopagnosia compared to NTs (Parker et al, 2022), we tested whether the length of the MFS (in mm) differed between ASD and NT participants using a 2-way ANCOVA (controlling for age) with group (ASD, NT) and hemisphere (left, right) as factors. There was a main effect of group (F(1,195) = 6.86, p = .03, η 2 G = 0.034), with no hemisphere interaction ( p = .71), in which individuals with ASD had a shorter MFS than NTs in both hemispheres ( Fig.…”

“…Recent findings proposed that tertiary sulci could be novel targets for neuropsychiatric disorders since they are largely specific to the hominoid brain and are related to human-specific aspects of cognition (Miller, D’Esposito, & Weiner, 2021; Parker et al, 2022). Thus, we tested if the morphology of the MFS in VTC was correlated with morphological features of PMC tertiary sulci (IFRMS, SSPLS, ICGS-p).…”

“…Ventral Temporal Cortex: As in our previous work across ages (Weiner et al, 2014), species (Miller et al, 2020), and individuals with Developmental Prosopagnosia [2% of the population who cannot perceive faces, but do not have brain damage; (Parker et al, 2022)], three sulci were manually identified in the VTC for each hemisphere: the Collateral Sulcus (CoS), Occipito-Temporal Sulcus (OTS), and Mid-Fusiform Sulcus (MFS). A three-tiered approach was implemented to manually label each of these three sulci in every hemisphere.…”

“…Most relevant to the present study, two recent studies have implicated a role of tertiary sulci in neurodevelopmental disorders in two ways. First, tertiary sulci in high-level visual cortex were shorter in individuals with developmental prosopagnosia (DP) compared to neurotypical controls (NTs), and individual differences in MFS length also predicted individual differences in face perception ability (Parker et al, 2022). Second, the cortical thickness of tertiary sulci in high-level visual cortex in ASD individuals was recently shown to be negatively correlated with a behavioral task that tests an individual’s ability to interpret mental states and emotions from facial features (Ammons et al, 2021).…”