Face-specific N170 component is modulated by facial expressional change.
We examined processing of change in facial expression. Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were elicited by successive presentation of two different faces without interval. Smile faces were preceded by either a neutral face of the same person, a smile face of a different person, or a neutral face of a different person, which generated expressional, individual, or both expressional and individual change, respectively. For the preceding faces, there were no differences in face-specific N170. In contrast, the second faces elicited a larger N170 for expressional change relative to individual or both changes, which indicates that facial expression was processed in the early stage of face processing in the posterior temporal region, when they are presented in change context.
Miyoshi
Michiko
M
Graduate School of Education, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0811, Japan. miyoshi@edu.hokudai.ac.jp
Katayama
Jun'ichi
J
Morotomi
Takashi
T
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005145:Face; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology