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Spatial Integration in Normal Face Processing and Its Breakdown in Congenital Prosopagnosia.
Galia Avidan1, Marlene Behrmann2
1Department of Psychology and Department of Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel;
Annual Review of Vision Science
|May 20, 2021
Summary
Congenital prosopagnosia (CP) is a lifelong face recognition deficit. This review proposes a novel framework linking CP to entorhinal cortex grid cell activity and spatial eye movement scanning for face processing.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Vision Science
Background:
- Congenital prosopagnosia (CP) is a developmental disorder characterized by lifelong face recognition difficulties without apparent brain injury.
- CP offers a unique window into the neural and psychological mechanisms underpinning normal face perception.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a theoretical and conceptual framework for understanding the cognitive and neural deficits in CP.
- To reconcile conflicting findings in CP research and suggest new research directions.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing behavioral and neural characteristics of CP.
- Development of a novel theoretical model integrating entorhinal cortex grid cell activity and spatial scanning in face processing.
- Synthesis of current literature to support the proposed framework.
Main Results:
- The proposed framework links CP impairments to grid cell-like activity in the entorhinal cortex.
- Emphasis on the role of active spatial scanning and eye movements in face encoding and recognition deficits in CP.
Conclusions:
- The model provides a new perspective on the neural underpinnings of face processing and its disruption in CP.
- Identifies testable predictions and future research questions arising from the proposed framework.
Keywords:
entorhinal cortexeye movementsgrid-like cellsholistic processingreceptive fieldventral visual pathwayMore Related Videos
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