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A specific neural substrate for perceiving facial expressions of disgust

Author

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  • M. L. Phillips

    (King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry and Institute of Psychiatry)

  • A. W. Young

    (Applied Psychology Unit)

  • C. Senior

    (King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry and Institute of Psychiatry)

  • M. Brammer

    (Brain Image Analysis Unit)

  • C. Andrew

    (Neuroimaging Unit)

  • A. J. Calder

    (Applied Psychology Unit)

  • E. T. Bullmore

    (Brain Image Analysis Unit)

  • D. I. Perrett

    (School of Psychology, University of St Andrews)

  • D. Rowland

    (School of Psychology, University of St Andrews)

  • S. C. R. Williams

    (Neuroimaging Unit)

  • J. A. Gray

    (Institute of Psychiatry)

  • A. S. David

    (King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry and Institute of Psychiatry)

Abstract

Recognition of facial expressions is critical to our appreciation of the social and physical environment, with separate emotions having distinct facial expressions1. Perception of fearful facial expressions has been extensively studied, appearing to depend upon the amygdala2,3,4,5,6. Disgust — literally ‘bad taste’ — is another important emotion, with a distinct evolutionary history7, and is conveyed by a characteristic facial expression8,9,10. We have used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the neural substrate for perceiving disgust expressions. Normal volunteers were presented with faces showing mild or strong disgust or fear. Cerebral activation in response to these stimuli was contrasted with that for neutral faces. Results for fear generally confirmed previous positron emission tomography findings of amygdala involvement. Both strong and mild expressions of disgust activated anterior insular cortex but not the amygdala; strong disgust also activated structures linked to a limbic cortico–striatal–thalamic circuit. The anterior insula is known to be involved in responses to offensive tastes. The neural response to facial expressions of disgust in others is thus closely related to appraisal of distasteful stimuli.

Suggested Citation

  • M. L. Phillips & A. W. Young & C. Senior & M. Brammer & C. Andrew & A. J. Calder & E. T. Bullmore & D. I. Perrett & D. Rowland & S. C. R. Williams & J. A. Gray & A. S. David, 1997. "A specific neural substrate for perceiving facial expressions of disgust," Nature, Nature, vol. 389(6650), pages 495-498, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:389:y:1997:i:6650:d:10.1038_39051
    DOI: 10.1038/39051
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    Cited by:

    1. Hikaru Takeuchi & Yasuyuki Taki & Yuko Sassa & Hiroshi Hashizume & Atsushi Sekiguchi & Ai Fukushima & Ryuta Kawashima, 2014. "Regional Gray Matter Volume Is Associated with Empathizing and Systemizing in Young Adults," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(1), pages 1-16, January.
    2. Fogassi, Leonardo, 2011. "The mirror neuron system: How cognitive functions emerge from motor organization," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 77(1), pages 66-75, January.
    3. Leonardo Fogassi, 2010. "The mirror neuron system: How cognitive functions emerge from motor organization," Post-Print hal-00921186, HAL.
    4. Akinori Nakamura & Burkhard Maess & Thomas R Knösche & Angela D Friederici, 2014. "Different Hemispheric Roles in Recognition of Happy Expressions," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(2), pages 1-9, February.
    5. Im, Changkuk & Lee, Jinkwon, 2022. "On the fragility of third-party punishment: The context effect of a dominated risky investment option," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    6. Nora Maria Raschle & Willeke Martine Menks & Lynn Valérie Fehlbaum & Ebongo Tshomba & Christina Stadler, 2015. "Structural and Functional Alterations in Right Dorsomedial Prefrontal and Left Insular Cortex Co-Localize in Adolescents with Aggressive Behaviour: An ALE Meta-Analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(9), pages 1-24, September.
    7. Zonglei Zhen & Huizhen Fang & Jia Liu, 2013. "The Hierarchical Brain Network for Face Recognition," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(3), pages 1-9, March.

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