Benton facial recognition test scores for predicting fusiform gyrus activity during face perception

Face perception is a fundamental cognitive ability essential for social interactions. The Benton Facial Recognition Test (BFRT) is widely used to assess both normal and impaired face perception. However, whether BFRT scores could reflect neural activity associated with face perception, particularly in relation to holistic or configural face processing, remains unclear. To address this question, we administered the short form of the BFRT and acquired functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data while participants passively viewed photographs of upright and inverted faces and houses. Regression analyses revealed that BFRT scores positively correlated with fMRI activity in the right fusiform gyrus in response to upright faces versus upright houses. Additionally, BFRT scores were positively associated with right fusiform gyrus activity in response to inverted versus upright faces. These findings suggest that BFRT scores serve as an indicator of right fusiform gyrus activity linked to holistic/configural face perception.