title: The Faces in Radiological Images: Fusiform Face Area Supports Radiological Expertise.
abstract: The fusiform face area (FFA) has often been used as an example of a brain module that was developed through evolution to serve a specific purpose-face processing. Many believe, however, that FFA is responsible for holistic processing associated with any kind of expertise. The expertise view has been tested with various stimuli, with mixed results. One of the main stumbling blocks in the FFA controversy has been the fact that the stimuli used have been similar to faces. Here, we circumvent the problem by using radiological images, X-rays, which bear no resemblance to faces. We demonstrate that FFA can distinguish between X-rays and other stimuli by employing multivariate pattern analysis. The sensitivity to X-rays was significantly better in experienced radiologists than that in medical students with limited radiological experience. For the radiologists, it was also possible to use the patterns of FFA activations obtained on faces to differentiate X-ray stimuli from other stimuli. The overlap in the FFA activation is not based on visual similarity of faces and X-rays but rather on the processes necessary for expertise with both kinds of stimulus. Our results support the expertise view that FFA's main function is related to holistic processing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen 72070, Germany.|Department of Cognitive Psychology, Alpen-Adria University Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt 9020, Austria.
authors.forename: Merim
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bilalic
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen 72070, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grottenthaler
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen 72070, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nägele
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen 72070, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lindig
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology; D011361:Professional Competence; D011859:Radiography / Q000523:psychology; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D014965:X-Rays
keywords: expertise; face recognition; fusiform face area; multivariate pattern analysis; radiology