Genetic and Environmental Influences on the Visual Word Form and Fusiform Face Areas.
Two areas of the occipitotemporal cortex show a remarkable hemispheric lateralization: written words activate the visual word form area (VWFA) in the left fusiform gyrus and faces activate a symmetrical site in the right hemisphere, the fusiform face area (FFA). While the lateralization of the VWFA fits with the leftward asymmetry of the speech processing network, origin of the rightward asymmetry for faces is still unclear. Using fMRI data from 64 subjects (including 16 monozygotic (MZ) and 13 dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs), we investigated how activations evoked by written words, faces, and spoken language are co-lateralized in the temporal lobe, and whether this organization reflects genetic factors or individual reading expertise. We found that the lateralization of the left superior temporal activation for spoken language correlates with the lateralization of occipitotemporal activations for both written words and faces. Behavioral reading scores also modulate the responses to words and faces. Estimation of genetic and environmental contributions shows that activations of the VWFA, the occipital face area, and the temporal speech areas are partially under genetic control whereas activation of the FFA is primarily influenced by individual experience. Our results stress the importance of both genetic factors and acquired expertise in the occipitotemporal organization.
INSERM, U992, Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Gif/Yvette F-91191, France CEA, DSV/I2BM, NeuroSpin Center, Gif/Yvette F-91191, France Université Paris-Sud, Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Gif/Yvette F-91191, France Collège de France, Paris F-75005, France.
Philippe
P
Pinel
Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, EA REMES (Patient-Reported Outcomes Unit), Paris 75013, France INSERM, UMR-SO 669, University Paris Sud, Paris Descartes, Paris 75006, France.
Christophe
C
Lalanne
Institut Pasteur, Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions, Paris 75015, France CNRS URA 2182 'Genes, synapses and cognition', Institut Pasteur, Paris 75015, France Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions Unit, Paris 75013, France FondaMental Foundation, Créteil 94000, France.
Thomas
T
Bourgeron
Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions Unit, Paris 75013, France FondaMental Foundation, Créteil 94000, France.
Fabien
F
Fauchereau
CEA, DSV/I2BM, NeuroSpin Center, Gif/Yvette F-91191, France.
Cyril
C
Poupon
INSERM, UMR 1000, Research unit "Imaging and Psychiatry", IFR49, CEA, DSV/I2BM, Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot, Orsay 91400, France University Paris Sud, Orsay 91400, France Orsay Hospital, Psychiatry Department (area 91G16), Orsay 91400, France.
Eric
E
Artiges
CEA, DSV/I2BM, NeuroSpin Center, Gif/Yvette F-91191, France.
Denis
D
Le Bihan
INSERM, U992, Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Gif/Yvette F-91191, France CEA, DSV/I2BM, NeuroSpin Center, Gif/Yvette F-91191, France Université Paris-Sud, Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Gif/Yvette F-91191, France Collège de France, Paris F-75005, France.
Ghislaine
G
Dehaene-Lambertz
INSERM, U992, Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Gif/Yvette F-91191, France CEA, DSV/I2BM, NeuroSpin Center, Gif/Yvette F-91191, France Université Paris-Sud, Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Gif/Yvette F-91191, France Collège de France, Paris F-75005, France.
Stanislas
S
Dehaene
D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D007839:Functional Laterality; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007802:Language; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
D010100:Oxygen
FFA; VWFA; genetic; reading; temporal