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Local features drive identity responses in macaque anterior face patches

Author

Listed:
  • Elena N. Waidmann

    (National Institute of Mental Health
    The Rockefeller University)

  • Kenji W. Koyano

    (National Institute of Mental Health)

  • Julie J. Hong

    (National Institute of Mental Health
    Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State College of Medicine)

  • Brian E. Russ

    (National Institute of Mental Health
    Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research)

  • David A. Leopold

    (National Institute of Mental Health
    National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Eye Institute)

Abstract

Humans and other primates recognize one another in part based on unique structural details of the face, including both local features and their spatial configuration within the head and body. Visual analysis of the face is supported by specialized regions of the primate cerebral cortex, which in macaques are commonly known as face patches. Here we ask whether the responses of neurons in anterior face patches, thought to encode face identity, are more strongly driven by local or holistic facial structure. We created stimuli consisting of recombinant photorealistic images of macaques, where we interchanged the eyes, mouth, head, and body between individuals. Unexpectedly, neurons in the anterior medial (AM) and anterior fundus (AF) face patches were predominantly tuned to local facial features, with minimal neural selectivity for feature combinations. These findings indicate that the high-level structural encoding of face identity rests upon populations of neurons specialized for local features.

Suggested Citation

  • Elena N. Waidmann & Kenji W. Koyano & Julie J. Hong & Brian E. Russ & David A. Leopold, 2022. "Local features drive identity responses in macaque anterior face patches," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-33240-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33240-w
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. David A. Leopold & Igor V. Bondar & Martin A. Giese, 2006. "Norm-based face encoding by single neurons in the monkey inferotemporal cortex," Nature, Nature, vol. 442(7102), pages 572-575, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Saloni Sharma & Kasper Vinken & Akshay V. Jagadeesh & Margaret S. Livingstone, 2024. "Face cells encode object parts more than facial configuration of illusory faces," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.

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