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Layer-specific, retinotopically-diffuse modulation in human visual cortex in response to viewing emotionally expressive faces

Author

Listed:
  • Tina T. Liu

    (National Institute of Mental Health, NIH)

  • Jason Z Fu

    (National Institute of Mental Health, NIH)

  • Yuhui Chai

    (National Institute of Mental Health, NIH)

  • Shruti Japee

    (National Institute of Mental Health, NIH)

  • Gang Chen

    (National Institute of Mental Health, NIH)

  • Leslie G. Ungerleider

    (National Institute of Mental Health, NIH)

  • Elisha P. Merriam

    (National Institute of Mental Health, NIH)

Abstract

Viewing faces that are perceived as emotionally expressive evokes enhanced neural responses in multiple brain regions, a phenomenon thought to depend critically on the amygdala. This emotion-related modulation is evident even in primary visual cortex (V1), providing a potential neural substrate by which emotionally salient stimuli can affect perception. How does emotional valence information, computed in the amygdala, reach V1? Here we use high-resolution functional MRI to investigate the layer profile and retinotopic distribution of neural activity specific to emotional facial expressions. Across three experiments, human participants viewed centrally presented face stimuli varying in emotional expression and performed a gender judgment task. We found that facial valence sensitivity was evident only in superficial cortical layers and was not restricted to the retinotopic location of the stimuli, consistent with diffuse feedback-like projections from the amygdala. Together, our results provide a feedback mechanism by which the amygdala directly modulates activity at the earliest stage of visual processing.

Suggested Citation

  • Tina T. Liu & Jason Z Fu & Yuhui Chai & Shruti Japee & Gang Chen & Leslie G. Ungerleider & Elisha P. Merriam, 2022. "Layer-specific, retinotopically-diffuse modulation in human visual cortex in response to viewing emotionally expressive faces," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-33580-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33580-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ralph Adolphs & Frederic Gosselin & Tony W. Buchanan & Daniel Tranel & Philippe Schyns & Antonio R. Damasio, 2005. "A mechanism for impaired fear recognition after amygdala damage," Nature, Nature, vol. 433(7021), pages 68-72, January.
    2. Xilin Zhang & Shruti Japee & Zaid Safiullah & Nicole Mlynaryk & Leslie G Ungerleider, 2016. "A Normalization Framework for Emotional Attention," PLOS Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(11), pages 1-25, November.
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