TITLE:
Event-related potential investigation of different neural pathways for face and pattern perceptions in the human brain
AUTHORS:
Ryozo Aoki, Shinnya Okamoto, Takahiro Sakimoto, Kazuki Yoshida, Hitoshi Sasaki
KEYWORDS:
Influenza Visual-Perception; Cognition-System; Limbic-System; Oddball-Method; ERP; N100; N170; P300
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biomedical Science and Engineering,
Vol.5 No.4,
April
19,
2012
ABSTRACT: Two different pathways in the brain have been implicated in the human visual perception process. One involves emotional cognition of face features, and the other involves spatial pattern cognition. In the present study, we used the event-related potential (ERP) method to examine temporal activation of the perception pathways at a fine time resolution of less than 10 ms. Four electrodes were attached onto their heads at O2, Pz, T4, and Fz, and ERP waveforms were observed on each electrode simultaneously. Nine portraits of actresses and 9 geometrical figures were chosen respectively, and presented on a CRT display in random order. The two types of figures elicited different responses. For portraits, the first significant N100 peak appeared on Pz and Fz, but not O2. For patterns, it started at N130 on O2. A significant response to portraits mostly appeared on T4, Pz, and Fz, and to patterns on O2, Pz, and Fz.