Behavioural and neuroimaging studies of face processing

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The ability to recognize the identity and emotional expression of a human face is of critical importance in our daily lives. It is therefore not surprising that we are such experts at this ability and further, that specific regions within the brain appear to be devoted to face processing. Although it is clear that certain structures in the brain are related to face processing, there has been considerable debate in the scientific literature, about the precise roles of the brain regions that are involved. My research program examines the functional roles of the various structures in the brain that are thought to play a role in face processing and indeed which side (if any) of the brain plays a dominant role. This research program uses both behavioural and neuroimaging (fMRI) techniques to investigate the underlying representations used by these structures. I will use fMRI adaptation to measure the selectivity of face processing regions for visual attributes. My research program consists of three main projects, which broadly ask the following questions: 1) Are there gender differences in ability to recognize faces and is this reflected in differences in cortical activation for faces in one hemisphere compared to the other? 2) Does a concurrent manual task that is processed by the right hemisphere interfere with face processing more than one that is processed by the left hemisphere? 3) Does losing the left eye early in life (from which the right hemisphere primarily receives its input) affect face processing and cortical activation for faces more than losing the right eye early in life? In addition to answering fundamental questions about the roles of specific brain structures for face processing the findings from this research program will have implications for the clinical evaluation and treatment of neurological deficits that result from damage to these areas of the brain.