title: Face recognition in schizophrenia disorder: A comprehensive review of behavioral, neuroimaging and neurophysiological studies.
abstract: Facial emotion processing has been extensively studied in schizophrenia patients while general face processing has received less attention. The already published reviews do not address the current scientific literature in a complete manner. Therefore, here we tried to answer some questions that remain to be clarified, particularly: are the non-emotional aspects of facial processing in fact impaired in schizophrenia patients? At the behavioral level, our key conclusions are that visual perception deficit in schizophrenia patients: are not specific to faces; are most often present when the cognitive (e.g. attention) and perceptual demands of the tasks are important; and seems to worsen with the illness chronification. Although, currently evidence suggests impaired second order configural processing, more studies are necessary to determine whether or not holistic processing is impaired in schizophrenia patients. Neural and neurophysiological evidence suggests impaired earlier levels of visual processing, which might involve the deficits in interaction of the magnocellular and parvocellular pathways impacting on further processing. These deficits seem to be present even before the disorder out-set. Although evidence suggests that this deficit may be not specific to faces, further evidence on this question is necessary, in particularly more ecological studies including context and body processing.
authors: Epsylon Laboratory, EA 4556 Montpellier, France; University Department of Adult Psychiatry, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France. Electronic address: catherine.bortolon@etu.univ-montp3.fr.
authors: Catherine
authors: C
authors: Bortolon
authors: University Department of Adult Psychiatry, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), U1061 Pathologies of the Nervous System: Epidemiological and Clinical Research, La Colombiere Hospital, 34093 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
authors: Delphine
authors: D
authors: Capdevielle
authors: Epsylon Laboratory, EA 4556 Montpellier, France; University Department of Adult Psychiatry, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
authors: Stéphane
authors: S
authors: Raffard
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D000066499:Facial Recognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D059906:Neuroimaging; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
keywords: Face perception; Face recognition; Holistic processing; Identity perception; Schizophrenia