Impact Of Familiarity And Attachment On Visual Processin

参与处理人脸视觉刺激的神经回路已经受到了相当大的研究关注，有证据表明，某些大脑区域可能优先响应这些刺激。然而，我们对神经处理如何受到受试者对面部被描绘的人的熟悉程度或情感依恋的影响知之甚少。这一领域的研究可以通过指出连接边缘系统和感觉回路的通路，在认知神经科学和新兴的情感神经科学领域之间架起一座桥梁。此外，使用具有情感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。在一系列的研究中，受试者看到不熟悉和熟悉的面孔（包括个人熟悉和著名的面孔）;母亲看到自己孩子的照片以及熟悉和不熟悉的孩子的照片;丧亲和非丧亲的配偶看到他们的配偶，其他家庭成员和不熟悉的人的照片。到目前为止，十名受试者已经完成了使用个人熟悉的，熟悉的和不熟悉的面孔作为刺激的研究，十位母亲已经完成了第二项研究。第一项研究的数据表明，当受试者看到熟悉的面孔时，杏仁核的激活减少，前上额叶和梭状核的激活增加。此外，七个丧偶的个人和五个匹配的对照完成了第三项研究。正在继续招募丧失亲人的受试者和对照组。

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. Data from the first study indicate that amygdala activation is decreased, and anterior superios frontal and fusiform activation increased, when subjects view personally familiar faces. In addition, seven spousally bereaved individuals and five matched controls have completed the third study. Recruitment of bereaved subjects and controls is continuing.