Neural mechanisms underlying visual pareidolia processing: An fMRI study

doi:10.12669/pjms.346.16140

Paper

Neural mechanisms underlying visual pareidolia processing: An fMRI study

Published Oct 25, 2018 · G. Akdeniz, S. Toker, Ibrahim Atli

Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences

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20

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1

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Abstract

Objectives: Pareidolia is the interpretation of previously unseen and unrelated objects as familiar due to previous learning. The present study aimed to determine the specific brain areas that exhibited activation during real-face and face-pareidolia processing. Methods: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) scans were performed on 20 healthy subjects under real-face and face-pareidolia conditions in National Magnetic Resonance Research Center (UMRAM), Ankara, Turkey from April 2016 to January 2017. FSL software was used to conduct a FEAT higher level (group) analysis to identify the brain areas activated during real-face and face-pareidolia processing. Results: Under both the real-face and face-pareidolia conditions, activation was observed in the Prefrontal Cortex (PFCX), occipital cortex V1, occipital cortex V2, and inferior temporal regions. Also under both conditions, the same degree of activation was observed in the right Fusiform Face Area (FFA) and the right PFCX. On the other hand, PFCX activation was not evident under the real-face versus face scrambled or face-pareidolia versus pareidolia scrambled conditions. Conclusions: The present findings suggest that, as in real-face perception, face-pareidolia requires interaction between top-down and bottom-up brain regions including the FFA and frontal and occipitotemporal areas. Additionally, whole-brain analyses revealed that the right PFCX played an important role in processing real faces and in face pareidolia (illusory face perception), as did the FFA.

Non-RCT

Rigorous Journal

Study Snapshot

Key takeawayThe right Prefrontal Cortex plays a crucial role in both real-face and face-pareidolia processing, with activation in the Fusiform Face Area and Prefrontal Cortex.

PopulationOlder adults (50-71 years)

Sample size24

MethodsObservational

OutcomesBody Mass Index projections

ResultsSocial networks mitigate obesity in older groups.

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Neural mechanisms underlying visual pareidolia processing: An fMRI study

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References

Citations

Dynamic brain communication underwriting face pareidolia

Face pareidolia is influenced by dynamic brain communication, which may contribute to social cognition deficits in mental and neurological conditions like autism, schizophrenia, and Parkinson's disease.

Inactivation of face-selective neurons alters eye movements when free viewing faces

Face-selective neurons in the inferior temporal cortex guide and inform eye movements when free viewing faces.

When the whole is only the parts: non-holistic object parts predominate face-cell responses to illusory faces

Face cells in macaques selectively perceive illusory faces based on local, generic features, rather than holistic configurations, unlike human perception, which requires holistic information.

Inactivation of face selective neurons alters eye movements when free viewing faces

Face-selective neurons in the inferior temporal cortex guide and inform eye movements when free viewing faces, revealing a causal link between high-level visual cortex and oculomotor system.

Staring death in the face: chimpanzees' attention towards conspecific skulls and the implications of a face module guiding their behaviour

Chimpanzees prefer conspecific skulls and faces, with a domain-specific face module in their brains guiding their attention towards these objects.

Face Perception and Pareidolia Production in Patients With Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease patients are less likely to recognize embedded faces and more likely to perceive faces in locations where none are actually present, possibly due to disturbed interactions between the Dorsal and Ventral Attention Networks.

"I Spy with my Little Eye, Something that is a Face…": A Brain Network for Illusory Face Detection.

Illusory face detection activates the core system of face perception, with atypical left-lateralization of the occipital face area and a face-specific influence of the inferior frontal gyrus.