THE NEUROCOGNITIVE BASIS OF GAZE PERCEPTION

这项拟议的功能磁共振研究调查了眼睛凝视知觉的神经认知基础。这项研究的理论基础来自神经生理学和神经成像研究，表明颞叶皮质区域在处理凝视信息方面很活跃。对猴子神经元反应的研究表明，颞沟上部的细胞转向凝视方向和头部方向，这表明这些细胞可能编码了被观察人的注意方向(Perrett等人，1994)。此外，对眼睛凝视知觉(Hoffman&Haxby，1999)和眼睛和嘴巴运动(Puce Et Al 1998)的功能磁共振研究表明，在以颞骨上关节为中心的外侧颞区有激活。最后，一项使用正电子发射计算机断层扫描的研究发现，当受试者参与检测眼神接触时，杏仁核被激活(Kawashima等人，1999)。总而言之，这些研究提出了一个眼睛凝视处理的神经网络，它包括上颞底和杏仁核，但在这个网络中，任务需求的细微变化会影响每个区域的激活程度。这项拟议的研究计划试图确定这两种结构在分析眼睛凝视信息方面的不同作用。此外，识别用于眼睛凝视处理的神经系统可以为社会信号处理的模型提供基础。例如，这项实验将提供来自社会来源(眼睛)和非社会来源(箭头)的相同定向线索的加工信息。需要建立一个全面的模型来比较许多不同类型的社交信号(如手势、面部表情等)，眼神凝视知觉可能为未来的研究提供一个模板。

The proposed fMRI research investigates the neurocognitive basis of eye gaze perception. Theoretical foundations of the study stem from neurophysiological and neuroimaging research suggesting that regions of the temporal cortex are active in the processing of gaze information. Research investigating neuronal responses in monkeys shows that cells in the superior temporal sulcus are turned to gaze direction and head orientation, suggesting that these cells may be coding the direction of attention of an observed person (Perrett et al, 1994). In addition, fMRI studies of eye gaze perception (Hoffman & Haxby, 1999) and eye and mouth movements (Puce et al 1998) have shown activation in the lateral temporal area, centered in the superior temporal solcus. Finally, one study using PET found amygdala activation when subjects were engaged in detecting eye contact (Kawashima et al,1999). Collectively, these studies suggest a neural network of eye gaze processing which includes the superior temporal solcus and amygdala, but in which subtle changes in task demands influence the degree of activation in each area. The proposed research plan attempts to define the differential role of these two structures in analyzing information from eye gaze. Additionally, identifying a neural system for eye gaze processing may provide a foundation for a model of social signal processing. For example, this experiment will provide information about the processing of the same directional cue from a social source (eyes) and a non-social source (an arrow). Throw a comprehensive model will meed to compare many different types of social signals (e.g. gestures, facial expressions, etc.), eye gaze perception may provide a template for future investigations.