A single glance at natural face images generate larger and qualitatively different category-selective spatio-temporal signatures than other ecologically-relevant categories in the human brain.
[en] Although humans discriminate natural images of faces from other categories at a single glance, clarifying the neural specificity and spatio-temporal dynamics of this process without low-level visual confounds remains a challenge. We recorded high-density scalp electroencephalogram while presenting natural images of various objects at a fast periodic rate (5.88images/s). In different stimulation sequences, numerous variable exemplars of three categories associated with cortical specialization in neuroimaging - faces, body parts, or houses - appeared every five images (5.88Hz/5=1.18Hz). In these fast periodic visual stimulation (FPVS) sequences, common low- and high-level visual processes between these categories and other objects are captured at the 5.88Hz frequency, while high-level category-selective responses are objectively quantified at the 1.18Hz frequency and harmonics. Category-selective responses differed quantitatively and qualitatively between faces, body parts and houses. First, they were much larger (2-4 times) for faces over the whole scalp. Second, specific and reliable scalp topographical maps of category-selective responses pointed to distinct principle neural sources for faces (ventral occipito-temporal), body parts (lateral occipito-temporal) and houses (dorso-medial occipital). Category-selective EEG responses were found at multiple time-windows from 110 to 600ms post-stimulus onset. Faces elicited the most complex spatio-temporal profile with up to four selective responses, although body parts and houses also elicited selective responses more complex than previously described. These observations indicate that a single glance at natural face images inserted in a rapid stream of natural objects generates a quantitatively and qualitatively unique category-selective spatio-temporal signature in occipito-temporal cortical areas of the human brain.
Disciplines :
Neurosciences & behavior
Author, co-author :
Jacques, Corentin; Psychological Sciences Research Institute (IPSY), University of Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, Institute of Neuroscience, University of Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
RETTER, Talia ; Psychological Sciences Research Institute (IPSY), University of Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, Institute of Neuroscience, University of Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, Department of Psychology/296, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, United States
Rossion, Bruno; Psychological Sciences Research Institute (IPSY), University of Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, Institute of Neuroscience, University of Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. Electronic address: bruno.rossion@uclouvain.be
External co-authors :
yes
Language :
English
Title :
A single glance at natural face images generate larger and qualitatively different category-selective spatio-temporal signatures than other ecologically-relevant categories in the human brain.
Belgian Federal Science Policy Office Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research European Research Council
Funding text :
The authors thank two anonymous reviewers for their constructive critical comments on a previous version of this manuscript. CJ is supported by the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office (BELSPO, return grant 2012 ). BR and TR are supported by the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique; FNRS) . This work was supported by a grant from the European Research Council (ERC, facessvep 284025 ). Authors declare no competing interest.
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