Neuronal representation of facial images in the temporal cortex by simultaneous recordings using electrode arrays

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K12588
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 90030:Cognitive science-related
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Sugase Yasuko 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 情報・人間工学領域, 研究グループ長 (40357257)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 情報処理 / 側頭葉 / 視覚 / 顔画像

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Face responsive neurons in area TE of the monkey temporal cortex represented information about a global category of stimuli, namely human vs. monkey vs. shapes, earlier than information about more detailed categories, i.e., facial expression and identity. To investigate representation of face images in the temporal cortex, neuronal activities were recorded using microelectrode arrays implanted in the inferior temporal cortex (areas TE and TEO) of two macaque monkeys while they performed a fixation task. Face-responsive neurons were found both in areas TE and TEO. Amount of information about the global/fine categories varied across regions. In addition, we constructed a combined model that consisted of a deep neural network and a recurrent neural network and reported that the model showed a hierarchical categorization.

Free Research Field

神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

我々の社会生活に重要な顔の識別は、髪や眼、口などの要素の組み合わせとして顔を知覚するプロセスに基づいており、側頭皮質における複数の顔領域の情報処理に支えられている。本研究の学術的意義は、多点同時記録により顔領域ネットワークとしての情報処理を明らかにし、理論的研究によりその神経機構を理解することにある。