Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026
16:08
Brain Imaging Investigation of the Impairing Effect of Emotion on Cognition
Published on: February 1, 2012
Distributed and interactive brain mechanisms during emotion face perception: evidence from functional neuroimaging
Patrik Vuilleumier1, Gilles Pourtois
1Laboratory for Behavioral Neurology & Imaging of Cognition, Clinic of Neurology, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. patrik.vuilleumier@medecine.unige.ch
Neuropsychologia
|July 21, 2006
Summary
Fearful facial expressions enhance brain activity in face-processing regions like the fusiform cortex, involving the amygdala. This emotional processing impacts face recognition and memory networks.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Face processing is modulated by affective significance, especially fearful expressions.
- Brain imaging reveals enhanced activity in face-selective areas for emotional faces.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review neuroimaging findings on how emotional facial expressions modulate brain activity.
- To explore the neural underpinnings of emotion face perception and its interaction with face recognition.
Main Methods:
- Review of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) studies.
- Analysis of haemodynamic and electrical neuroimaging results in humans.
Main Results:
- Fearful expressions enhance activity in the fusiform cortex, modulated by the amygdala.
- Amygdala damage abolishes these enhancements, while parietal damage does not affect them.
- Event-related potentials (ERPs) show widespread temporal activity, with early emotional responses preceding full categorization.
Conclusions:
- Emotion face perception is a complex network process, not confined to a single brain region or event.
- Emotional processing significantly influences face recognition and memory systems, challenging traditional separate pathway models.
- These interactions are crucial for typical face processing development and may be implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Facial Feedback Hypothesis
Charles Darwin proposed that facial expressions are an evolutionary adaptation for communication. He argued that these expressions are not influenced by culture but are universal across species. For example, a snarling expression with exposed teeth signals a threat in many animals, including humans. Darwin also suggested that displaying an emotion can intensify the feeling. Smiling, for example, could enhance one's sense of happiness. This idea laid the foundation for understanding the role of...
01:15Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System
The limbic system, often called the "emotional brain," is a complex set of structures located deep within the brain. The intricate network of the limbic system supports a wide range of psychological functions, from emotional regulation to memory formation and sensory processing. This functional brain region encompasses specific parts of the diencephalon and the cerebrum, integrating the higher mental functions of the cerebral cortex with the primitive emotional responses of the deep brain...
01:21Association Areas of the Cortex
Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...