Local but not long-range microstructural differences of the ventral temporal cortex in developmental prosopagnosia.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Neuroimaging

Background:

• Developmental prosopagnosia (DP) is characterized by face recognition difficulties despite intact intellect and vision.
• Previous diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies on DP neurobiology yielded conflicting results regarding white matter differences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the neurobiological underpinnings of DP by examining white matter microstructure.
• To resolve discrepancies in prior research by employing a larger sample size and comprehensive analyses.

Main Methods:

• Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to analyze white matter microstructure in 16 individuals with DP and age-matched controls.
• Analyses focused on both long-range tracts and local white matter fibers within ventral temporal face-specific regions of interest (fROIs).

Main Results:

• No significant microstructural differences were found in long-range white matter tracts between individuals with DP and controls.
• Significant microstructural differences were identified in white matter tracts local to face-specific fROIs in the ventral temporal lobe.
• These local white matter differences correlated with face recognition abilities in individuals with DP.

Conclusions:

• Subtle alterations in local white matter tracts within the ventral temporal lobe, rather than long-range tracts, are more likely associated with the pathophysiology of developmental prosopagnosia.
• These findings provide a clearer understanding of the neurobiological basis of DP.