Hominoid-specific sulcal variability is related to face perception ability

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Evolutionary Biology
• Psychology

Background:

• The relationship between brain structure, function, and behavior is a key area of study.
• Hominoid-specific brain structures, like the fusiform gyrus (FG), are crucial for understanding human cognition but are not present in common animal models.
• Developmental prosopagnosia (DP) involves severe face recognition deficits linked to abnormalities in the FG.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of the mid-fusiform sulcus (MFS), a specific landmark within the FG, in face perception.
• To compare MFS neuroanatomy and its relationship with face perception in neurotypical individuals (NTs) and individuals with DPs.

Main Methods:

• Pre-registered analyses of neuroanatomy and face perception were conducted.
• The length of the MFS in both hemispheres was measured in NTs and DPs.
• Correlations between MFS length and face perception performance were examined.

Main Results:

• The MFS was found to be significantly shorter in individuals with DPs compared to NTs.
• Individual differences in the length of the right MFS, but not the left, predicted individual differences in face perception abilities.
• These findings support the link between brain morphology and perceptual function.

Conclusions:

• Individual differences in MFS length are associated with variations in face processing capabilities.
• Morphological variability in late-developing tertiary sulci, like the MFS, may underlie individual differences in cognition.
• This research highlights the importance of hominoid-specific brain structures in understanding human perception and cognition.