Reserve Correlation Mapping in Face Patches

项目描述（申请人提供）：项目目标是探索人脸检测和识别的功能解剖和机制。脸是所有可能的视觉形状的一个复杂但高度受限的子集。利用功能性磁共振成像（fMRI）发现，颞叶中的面部选择区域显示，与其他物体的图像相比，面部视觉刺激会增加血流量。因此，MRI可用于将单单元记录定向到这些面部选择区域。针对fmri识别的面部贴片进行单单元记录的能力提供了一个前所未有的机会，可以从完全选择面部的颞叶皮层区域重复记录。双侧的一组面部斑块位于颞上沟的下侧，可能与人类梭状回面部区（FFA）相对应。本实验室已经成功地将单单元记录定向到两个受试者的面部贴片上，在这个区域，迄今为止几乎所有（98%）记录的单单元都显示出对面部的强烈反应选择性。单单元电生理学和功能磁共振成像将并行和联合使用，以探索颞叶面部选择区域的功能专业化和面部处理的分层组织，特别是是否有不同的区域致力于处理面部的特定方面，如情绪表达、视角或凝视方向。单单元反向相关映射和功能磁共振成像将用于将选择性映射到视角、位置、比例、光照和表情不同的大组人脸，以探索沿人脸处理层次结构的不变编码的发展。反向相关映射将用于映射参数化人工人脸空间中多个人脸特征的选择性，以确定这些区域中的特征如何组合，从而从更简单的特征或特征星座生成人脸选择性响应属性。人脸识别是高级视觉处理在社会和发展中最重要的方面之一。了解大脑是如何进行面部识别这样一个复杂而具体的过程，将有助于深入了解人类认知，以及面部识别受损的神经和精神疾病，如面孔失认症、精神分裂症和自闭症。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The project goal is to explore the functional anatomy and mechanisms of face detection and recognition. Faces are a complex yet highly constrained subset of all possible visual shapes. Face-selective regions in the temporal lobe have been identified using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as showing increased blood flow in response to visual stimulation with faces as opposed to images of other objects. MRI can therefore be used to target single-unit recording to these face-selective regions. The ability to specifically target fMRI-identified face patches for single-unit recording provides an unprecedented opportunity to record repeatedly from areas of temporal cortex entirely selective for faces. One bilateral set of face patches is in the lower bank of the superior temporal sulcus and likely corresponds to the human fusiform face area (FFA). This laboratory has successfully targeted single-unit recording to this face patch in two subjects, and in this region almost all (98%) of the single units recorded so far have shown strong response selectivity for faces. Single-unit electrophysiology and fMRI will be used in parallel and in conjunction to explore the functional specialization in the face-selective regions of the temporal lobe and the hierarchical organization of face processing, in particular whether distinct regions are dedicated to processing specific aspects of faces, such as emotional expression, view angle, or gaze direction. Single-unit reverse correlation mapping and fMRI will be used to map selectivity to large sets of faces varying in view angle, position, scale, illumination, and expression to explore the development of invariant coding along the face-processing hierarchy. Reverse-correlation mapping will be used to map selectivity for multiple facial features in a parameterized artificial-face space to determine how features are combined in these areas to generate face-selective response properties from simpler features or feature constellations. Face recognition is one of the most important aspects both socially and developmentally of higher-level visual processing. Understanding how the brain carries out such a complex yet specific process as face recognition will yield insights into human cognition as well as into neurological and psychiatric conditions in which face recognition is impaired, such as prosopagnosia, schizophrenia, and autism.