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Neural correlates of facial motion perception
Christine Girges1, Justin O'Brien1, Janine Spencer1
1a College of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Psychology , Brunel University , London , UK.
Social Neuroscience
|June 17, 2015
Summary
This study investigated facial motion perception using realistic computer-generated faces. Natural facial movement strongly activated the superior temporal sulcus (STS) and other brain regions, suggesting a visuomotor network supports dynamic facial information processing.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Superior temporal sulcus (STS) is implicated in facial motion processing.
- Previous studies often used unnatural stimuli or confounding spatial cues.
- This limits full engagement of underlying neural mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate neural mechanisms of facial motion perception using detailed, accurate facial movement models.
- To explore brain activation patterns during the discrimination of naturalistic facial motion.
Main Methods:
- Neurologically healthy participants viewed rigid and nonrigid facial motion sequences.
- Motion was retargeted onto a computer-generated imagery face model.
- A two-alternative forced choice paradigm was used to discriminate motion videos in upright and inverted orientations.
Main Results:
- Perception of natural facial motion strongly activated the posterior superior temporal sulcus (STS).
- Significant activation was also observed in the lingual gyrus, fusiform gyrus, precentral gyrus, and cerebellum.
- These brain regions form a network supporting visuomotor functions.
Conclusions:
- The findings support the role of the posterior STS in processing natural facial motion.
- Dynamic facial information processing involves a distributed network of visuomotor substrates.
- This study advances understanding by using realistic stimuli to probe facial motion perception.
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