Development of Effective Connectivity during Own- and Other-Race Face Processing: A Granger Causality Analysis

Area of Science:

• Developmental Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Social Psychology

Background:

• The other-race effect (ORE) in face recognition is well-documented behaviorally, emerging in infancy and developing through childhood.
• Limited research exists on the underlying neural mechanisms of this developmental ORE.
• Understanding the developmental trajectory of neural processing for own- and other-race faces is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the developmental changes in cortical network connectivity for processing own- and other-race faces in children.
• To examine the neural mechanisms underlying the emergence and development of the other-race effect (ORE).

Main Methods:

• Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to record brain activity in children aged 3-13 years.
• Granger causality analysis (GCA) was applied to fNIRS data to assess functional connectivity and causal relationships between brain regions.
• An old-new paradigm assessed face recognition, with analysis comparing own-race and other-race face processing.

Main Results:

• An age-related increase in functional connectivity was observed, correlating with improved behavioral face processing abilities.
• Significant differences in neural functional connectivity between own-race and other-race face recognition were modulated by age.
• The neural ORE emerges early in development and follows a protracted developmental course.

Conclusions:

• The neural underpinnings of the other-race effect (ORE) show a developmental trajectory similar to behavioral ORE.
• Cortical network development plays a significant role in the emergence and maturation of the ORE.
• This study provides novel insights into the neural basis of race-based face processing development.