Neural connections in the face processing network

David Pitcher, Vincent Walsh, Joe Devlin, Brad Duchaine

Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Department of Psychology

University College London

Faces are processed in a distributed network of neural regions.

These regions are believed to perform different functions.

Neural connections in the face processing network

Faces are processed in a distributed network of neural regions.

These regions are believed to perform different functions.

Neural connections in the face processing network

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)targeted at the IOG (also called the right occipital face area - rOFA) can impair accurate discrimination of face component parts.

Proposed fMRI \ thetaburst TMS study

Neural connections in the face processing network

Aim: Investigate the proposed neural connections between the right occipital face area and the right fusiform gyrus.

Method: Target the right OFA with thetaburst TMS and then measure face adaptation in the right fusiform gyrus using fMRI.

Participants: 12 neurologically normal.

First scanning session – High resolution structural and localizer.

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Faces Objects Scenes ScramObjects

Fixation

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Proposed fMRI \ thetaburst TMS study

Neural connections in the face processing network

Second scanning session1. Participants perform face \ chair adaptation task.

2. Target right occipital face area (rOFA) with 45 seconds of thetaburst TMS.

3. Re-enter scanner and repeat face detection / adaptation task.

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