The Core Brain Region for Face Processing in Schizophrenia Lacks Face Selectivity

Face perception impairment in schizophrenia has long been recognized. However, brain mechanisms underlying this socially important perceptual deficit are not well understood. Previous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have shown that patients have altered structure in brain regions responsible for processing face information, but functional properties of these brain regions are not clearly determined. A key functional property of the face-processing system--face selectivity--has yet to be evaluated in schizophrenia.

We used functional MRI (fMRI) to examine face selectivity of 3 core face-processing regions--fusiform face area (FFA), occipital face area (OFA), and superior temporal sulcus (STS)--in schizophrenia patients (n = 24) and healthy controls (n = 23). To disassociate face-specific processing from general perceptual processing, we compared cortical activations during performance of perceptually equated face and tree detection tasks.

Activation levels of the 3 putative face-processing regions during face detection did not differ between patients and controls, being similar for FFA and OFA and absent for STS. However, face selectivity, indexed by the difference in cortical activation between face and tree detection, was significantly reduced in patients for FFA, especially for low-contrast stimuli. FFA activation and perceptual performance during face detection were associated in patients.

These results show a lack of face-specific processing in the schizophrenic brain region presumably subserving face perception. This finding suggests boosting visual salience of face images as a potential therapeutic venue for improving face perception in this psychiatric disorder.