The effect of face patch microstimulation on perception of faces and objects.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Visual Perception

Background:

• Face-selective regions in the inferotemporal cortex are crucial for recognizing faces.
• The precise range of stimuli processed by these specialized brain areas remains incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how electrical microstimulation of face patches influences the perception of faces and non-face objects.
• To determine the extent to which face-selective regions encode stimuli beyond canonical faces.

Main Methods:

• Electrical microstimulation was applied to face patches in the macaque inferotemporal cortex.
• The effects of stimulation on the perception of faces and various non-face objects were systematically evaluated.

Main Results:

• Microstimulation of face patches significantly distorted perceived facial identity, with effects dependent on precise targeting.
• Perception of certain non-face objects, particularly those with face-consistent shapes (e.g., apples, cartoon houses), was also affected.
• Stimulation impacted the perception of some objects not typically activating the stimulated face patch, suggesting cross-regional influence.

Conclusions:

• Facial identity representation is localized within specific face patches.
• Activity in face patches extends beyond canonical face processing, influencing the perception of face-compatible non-face objects.
• These findings highlight interconnectedness in the inferotemporal cortex for visual object recognition.