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David Y Mekhaiel1,2,3, Melvyn A Goodale2,3,4, Brian D Corneil2,3,4,5

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Faces influence rapid muscle responses, demonstrating the brainstem

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Visuomotor processing
  • Human motor control

Background:

  • The superior colliculus (SC) is involved in processing evolutionarily relevant stimuli like faces.
  • The SC is implicated in express visuomotor responses (EVRs), rapid muscle activity bursts (~80 ms) linked to visual targets.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the influence of faces on EVRs.
  • To determine the behavioral relevance of face processing in the SC.
  • To explore the role of top-down cortical control in EVRs.

Main Methods:

  • Recorded upper limb muscle activity in healthy participants during reaching tasks with visual targets and distractors.
  • Used faces as stimuli in some experiments, varying instructions on target/distractor roles.
  • Assessed muscle recruitment modulation based on stimulus identity and task context.

Main Results:

  • EVRs were modulated by high-contrast faces, influencing reach direction (toward/away) based on instructions.
  • This effect required salient, repeated faces and was not observed with non-facial stimuli or varied facial affects.
  • Face stimuli impacted muscle recruitment at short latencies, preceding cortical face perception.

Conclusions:

  • The SC mediates EVRs, with faces significantly influencing this process.
  • Demonstrates the behavioral relevance of brainstem face detection.
  • Highlights the role of top-down cortical input in modulating EVRs based on task demands.