title: Neuronal integration in visual cortex elevates face category tuning to conscious face perception.
abstract: The human brain has the extraordinary capability to transform cluttered sensory input into distinct object representations. For example, it is able to rapidly and seemingly without effort detect object categories in complex natural scenes. Surprisingly, category tuning is not sufficient to achieve conscious recognition of objects. What neural process beyond category extraction might elevate neural representations to the level where objects are consciously perceived? Here we show that visible and invisible faces produce similar category-selective responses in the ventral visual cortex. The pattern of neural activity evoked by visible faces could be used to decode the presence of invisible faces and vice versa. However, only visible faces caused extensive response enhancements and changes in neural oscillatory synchronization, as well as increased functional connectivity between higher and lower visual areas. We conclude that conscious face perception is more tightly linked to neural processes of sustained information integration and binding than to processes accommodating face category tuning.
authors.affiliation: Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, 1018 XA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. fahrenfort.work@gmail.com
authors.forename: Johannes J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Fahrenfort
authors.forename: Tineke M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Snijders
authors.forename: Klaartje
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heinen
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: van Gaal
authors.forename: H Steven
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Scholte
authors.forename: Victor A F
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Lamme
mesh_terms: D003243:Consciousness / Q000502:physiology*; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*