Neurocognitive mechanism of human body form perception

这项研究计划的目标是继续研究身体和面部以不同方式处理的机制。在第一个资助期内，我们进行了5项研究。在三项研究中，我们提出了身体是否被整体处理的问题。结果表明，与身体相比，面部的整体加工更明显(Soria Bauser，Suchan&Daum，2011)。此外，我们可以证明，这些过程反映在所谓的P200脑电成分(Soria Bauser，Schwierer&Suchan，修订中)。关于这一主题的第三项fMRI研究的第一个结果表明，整体信息是在面部敏感区域加工的。我们可以进一步表明，结构性一阶信息的加工对身体加工很重要。这些信息是在N170脑电成分的时间范围内的过程(Soria Bauser&Suchan，2013)。在进一步的fMRI研究中，我们调查了大脑的哪些皮质区域处理了结构性的一阶信息。结果表明，躯体相关的一阶结构信息主要在枕中回、舌回进行加工。相比之下，前扣带回皮质和楔脑特别参与面部加工。在第二个资助期，我们希望研究面部敏感网络和身体敏感网络是如何相互作用的。此外，我们还将调查哪些机制与对身体的感知有关。在这些发现的基础上，我们想要解决以下问题：(1)初级视觉皮质与FFA和FBA的重叠表征之间的有效连接能否被头部的可见性所调节(研究1)？(2)取决于种子区域的功能连接，在FFA和OFA之间以及FBA和EBA之间被调制以用于无头物体的加工(研究2)？(3)如果与脸相比，结构一级信息和结构信息对于物体加工更重要吗？整体和结构的二阶信息是否可能负责面孔加工(研究3和4)？(4)我们的结果符合以下假设：头部在身体加工中的关联性与眼睛相关的信息对面孔加工的关联性相当(研究3和4)。

The goal of this research proposal is to continue the work on investigating the mechanism in which bodies and faces are processed in a different way.During the first funding period, we conducted 5 studies. In three studies we asked the question if bodies are processed holistically. Results suggest that holistic processing is more pronounced in faces if compared to bodies (Soria Bauser, Suchan & Daum, 2011). Additionally we could show that these processes are reflected by the so called P200 EEG component (Soria Bauser, Schwierer & Suchan, under revision). First results of a third fMRI study on this topic suggest that holistic information are processed in face-sensitive areas.We could further show, that processing of configural first order information are important for body processing. These information are processes within the time range of the N170 EEG component (Soria Bauser & Suchan, 2013). In a further fMRI study we investigated in which cortical areas of the brain configural first order information are processed. Results suggest that body related first order configural information are processed in the middle occipital gyrus, the lingual gyrus. In contrast, the anterior cingulate cortex and the cuneus were especially involved in face processing.For the second funding period we would like to investigate in which way the face-sensitive and body sensitive networks interact. Additionally we will investigate which mechanisms are relevant for the perception of bodies. A special focus will be set on the similarities in the processing of bodies and faces described in the literature so far suggesting a specific role of the position of the head.On the basis of these finding we would like to address the following questions:(1) can the effective connectivity between the primary visual cortex and the overlapping representation of the FFA and FBA be modulated by the visibility of the head (study 1)? (2) can the functional connectivity, depending on the seed region, between FFA and OFA and between FBA and EBA be modulated for the processing of bodies without a head (study 2)? (3) are configural first order information as well as structural information more important for the processing of bodies if compared to faces? Are holistic and configural second order information possible responsible for face processing (study 3 and 4)?(4) our results are in line with the following hypothesis: the relevance of the head in body processing is comparable with the relevance of eye related information for face processing (study 3 and 4).