Inhibition of the occipital face area modulates the electrophysiological signals of face familiarity: A combined cTBS-EEG study
Authors: Eick, C.M., Ambrus, G.G. and Kovács, G.
Journal: Cortex
Volume: 141
Pages: 156-167
eISSN: 1973-8102
ISSN: 0010-9452
DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.03.034
Abstract:The occipital face area (OFA) is hierarchically one of the first stages of the face processing network. It has originally been thought to be involved in early, structural processing steps, but currently more and more studies challenge this view and propose that it also takes part in higher level face processing, such as identification and recognition. Here we tested whether the OFA is involved in the initial steps of recognition memory and plays a causal role in the differential processing of familiar and unfamiliar faces. We used an offline, inhibitory continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) protocol over the right OFA and the vertex as control site. Electroencephalographic (EEG) recording of event-related potentials (ERPs), elicited by visually presented familiar (famous) and unfamiliar faces was performed before and after stimulation. We observed a difference in ERPs for famous and unfamiliar faces in a time-window corresponding to the N250 component. Importantly, this difference was significantly increased by cTBS of the right OFA, suggesting its causal role in the differential processing of familiar and unfamiliar faces. The enhancement occurred focally, at electrodes close to the right hemispheric cTBS site, as well as over similar occipito-temporal sites of the contralateral hemisphere. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study showing the causal role of the rOFA in the differential processing of familiar and unfamiliar faces, using combined cTBS and EEG recording methods. These results are discussed with respect to the nature of familiar face representations, supported by an extensive, bilateral network.
Source: Scopus
Inhibition of the occipital face area modulates the electrophysiological signals of face familiarity: A combined cTBS-EEG study.
Authors: Eick, C.M., Ambrus, G.G. and Kovács, G.
Journal: Cortex
Volume: 141
Pages: 156-167
eISSN: 1973-8102
DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.03.034
Abstract:The occipital face area (OFA) is hierarchically one of the first stages of the face processing network. It has originally been thought to be involved in early, structural processing steps, but currently more and more studies challenge this view and propose that it also takes part in higher level face processing, such as identification and recognition. Here we tested whether the OFA is involved in the initial steps of recognition memory and plays a causal role in the differential processing of familiar and unfamiliar faces. We used an offline, inhibitory continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) protocol over the right OFA and the vertex as control site. Electroencephalographic (EEG) recording of event-related potentials (ERPs), elicited by visually presented familiar (famous) and unfamiliar faces was performed before and after stimulation. We observed a difference in ERPs for famous and unfamiliar faces in a time-window corresponding to the N250 component. Importantly, this difference was significantly increased by cTBS of the right OFA, suggesting its causal role in the differential processing of familiar and unfamiliar faces. The enhancement occurred focally, at electrodes close to the right hemispheric cTBS site, as well as over similar occipito-temporal sites of the contralateral hemisphere. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study showing the causal role of the rOFA in the differential processing of familiar and unfamiliar faces, using combined cTBS and EEG recording methods. These results are discussed with respect to the nature of familiar face representations, supported by an extensive, bilateral network.
Source: PubMed
Inhibition of the occipital face area modulates the electrophysiological signals of face familiarity: A combined cTBS-EEG study
Authors: Eick, C.M., Ambrus, G.G. and Kovacs, G.
Journal: CORTEX
Volume: 141
Pages: 156-167
eISSN: 1973-8102
ISSN: 0010-9452
DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.03.034
Source: Web of Science (Lite)
Inhibition of the occipital face area modulates the electrophysiological signals of face familiarity: A combined cTBS-EEG study.
Authors: Eick, C.M., Ambrus, G.G. and Kovács, G.
Journal: Cortex; a journal devoted to the study of the nervous system and behavior
Volume: 141
Pages: 156-167
eISSN: 1973-8102
ISSN: 0010-9452
DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.03.034
Abstract:The occipital face area (OFA) is hierarchically one of the first stages of the face processing network. It has originally been thought to be involved in early, structural processing steps, but currently more and more studies challenge this view and propose that it also takes part in higher level face processing, such as identification and recognition. Here we tested whether the OFA is involved in the initial steps of recognition memory and plays a causal role in the differential processing of familiar and unfamiliar faces. We used an offline, inhibitory continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) protocol over the right OFA and the vertex as control site. Electroencephalographic (EEG) recording of event-related potentials (ERPs), elicited by visually presented familiar (famous) and unfamiliar faces was performed before and after stimulation. We observed a difference in ERPs for famous and unfamiliar faces in a time-window corresponding to the N250 component. Importantly, this difference was significantly increased by cTBS of the right OFA, suggesting its causal role in the differential processing of familiar and unfamiliar faces. The enhancement occurred focally, at electrodes close to the right hemispheric cTBS site, as well as over similar occipito-temporal sites of the contralateral hemisphere. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study showing the causal role of the rOFA in the differential processing of familiar and unfamiliar faces, using combined cTBS and EEG recording methods. These results are discussed with respect to the nature of familiar face representations, supported by an extensive, bilateral network.
Source: Europe PubMed Central