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Face processing in a case of high functioning autism with developmental prosopagnosia
Hanna B Cygan1, Hanna Okuniewska2, Katarzyna Jednoróg3
1Laboratory of Social Psychology, Department of Ergonomics, Central Institute for Labour Protection, National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland, hacyg@ciop.pl.
Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis
|July 19, 2018
Summary
This study on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and developmental prosopagnosia (DP) found that while brain areas for basic face processing were typical, reduced activity in a higher-level area suggests impaired access to semantic knowledge for face recognition.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Psychology
Background:
- Face perception is vital for social interaction, with the fusiform gyrus (FG) and occipital face area (OFA) implicated.
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and developmental prosopagnosia (DP) significantly impact face perception and recognition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate face processing in an individual with co-occurring high-functioning ASD and DP.
- To compare the neuroimaging and behavioral findings of this unique patient (PK) with control subjects.
Main Methods:
- Utilized eye-tracking and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
- Compared patient PK's gaze strategies and brain activity patterns to those of control participants.
Main Results:
- Patient PK exhibited atypical gaze fixation during face perception but typical activation in FG and OFA.
- Hypo-activation was observed in the left anterior superior temporal sulcus/middle temporal gyrus (aSTS/MTG) in PK compared to controls.
- Decreased inter-hemispheric connectivity between the right and left aSTS/MTG was found in PK during face recognition.
Conclusions:
- Impaired face recognition in this ASD and DP case involves higher-level processing deficits.
- The findings suggest insufficient access to semantic knowledge about individuals when processing facial stimuli.
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