Dissociated neural mechanisms for face detection and configural encoding: Evidence from N170 and induced gamma-band oscillation effects

Elana Zion-Golumbic, Shlomo Bentin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

120 Scopus citations

Abstract

Despite ample research, the structure and the functional characteristics of neural systems involved in human face processing are still a matter of active debate. Here we dissociated between a neural mechanism manifested by the face-sensitive N170 event-related potential effect and a mechanism manifested by induced electroencephalographic oscillations in the gamma band, which have been previously associated with the integration of individually coded features and activation of corresponding neural representations. The amplitude of the N170 was larger in the absence of the face contour but not affected by the configuration of inner components (ICs). Its latency was delayed by scrambling the configuration of the components as well as by the absence of the face contour. Unlike the N170, the amplitude of the induced gamma activity was sensitive to the configuration of ICs but insensitive to their presence within or outside a face contour. This pattern suggests a dual mechanism for early face processing, each utilizing different visual cues, which might indicate their respective roles in face processing. The N170 seems to be associated primarily with the detection and categorization of faces, whereas the gamma oscillations may be involved in the activation of their mental representation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1741-1749
Number of pages9
JournalCerebral Cortex
Volume17
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2007
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was funded by National Institute of Mental Health grant R01 MH 64458 to SB. We thank Drs David Anaki and Bruno Rossion for important comments on the manuscript. Conflict of Interest: None declared. Address correspondence to email: [email protected].

Funding

This study was funded by National Institute of Mental Health grant R01 MH 64458 to SB. We thank Drs David Anaki and Bruno Rossion for important comments on the manuscript. Conflict of Interest: None declared. Address correspondence to email: [email protected].

FundersFunder number
National Institute of Mental HealthR01MH064458

    Keywords

    • Configural processing
    • EEG
    • Faces
    • Gamma oscillations
    • N170

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