Impact of Familiarity and Attachment on Visual Processing of Faces

参与处理人脸视觉刺激的神经回路已经得到了相当多的研究关注，有证据表明，大脑的某些区域可能会优先对这种刺激做出反应。然而，我们对受试者对被描绘人的熟悉程度或情感依恋程度如何影响神经加工知之甚少。这一领域的研究可以通过指示连接边缘和感觉回路的通路(S)，在认知神经科学和新兴情感神经科学领域之间建立一座桥梁。此外，使用情绪上有意义的面孔作为激活刺激，可能有助于阐明人际依恋和对损失的心理反应背后的神经回路。因此，这种功能性磁共振成像协议使用面部识别激活任务来检查神经处理如何根据所描绘的面部对观看者是否具有情感意义而变化。在一系列研究中，受试者观看陌生和熟悉(包括个人熟悉和熟悉的)面孔；母亲观看自己孩子和熟悉和陌生孩子的照片；丧偶和未丧亲的配偶观看配偶、其他家庭成员和陌生人士的照片。到目前为止，10名受试者已经完成了以个人熟悉的、著名的熟悉的和陌生的面孔作为刺激的研究，10名母亲完成了第二项研究。这些数据目前正在分析中。此外，5名丧偶的人和4名配对的对照组已经完成了第三项研究。对失去亲人的受试者和控制者的招募仍在继续。

The neural circuitry involved in processing the visual stimulus of a human face has received considerable research attention, with evidence indicating that some brain regions may respond preferentially to such stimuli. However, we know little about how neural processing is affected by the subject's familiarity with, or emotional attachment to, the person whose face is depicted. Research in this area could form a bridge between cognitive neuroscience and the newly emerging field of affective neuroscience by indicating pathway(s) linking limbic and sensory circuits. In addition, the use of emotionally significant faces as activation stimuli may help to elucidate the neural circuitry underlying interpersonal attachment and psychological responses to loss. Thus, this functional magnetic resonance imaging protocol uses a face recognition activation task to examine how neural processing varies depending on whether the face depicted is emotionally significant to the viewer. In a series of studies, subjects view unfamiliar and familiar (including personally familiar and famous) faces; mothers view pictures of their own child and those of familiar and unfamiliar children; and bereaved and non-bereaved spouses view pictures of their spouse, other family members, and unfamiliar people. To date, ten subjects have completed the study that uses personally familiar, famous familiar, and unfamiliar faces as stimuli, and ten mothers have completed the second study. These data are currently being analyzed. In addition, five spousally bereaved individuals and four matched controls have completed the third study. Recruitment of bereaved subjects and controls for is continuing.