Neural encoding of real world face perception

TL;DR

This study reveals that the human social vision pathway encodes facial expressions and motion as deviations from a neutral prototype during natural social interactions, using intracranial recordings and computational face reconstruction.

Contribution

It demonstrates the neural basis of real-world face perception and highlights the role of the social vision pathway in encoding facial expressions and motion.

Findings

Social vision pathway is critical for face perception.

Neural activity encodes subtle facial expressions.

Computational models can reconstruct faces from brain activity.

Abstract

Social perception unfolds as we freely interact with people around us. We investigated the neural basis of real world face perception using multi electrode intracranial recordings in humans during spontaneous interactions with friends, family, and others. Computational models reconstructed the faces participants looked at during natural interactions, including facial expressions and motion, from brain activity alone. The results highlighted a critical role for the social vision pathway, a network of areas spanning parietal, temporal, and occipital cortex. This network was more sharply tuned to subtle expressions compared to intense expressions, which was confirmed with controlled psychophysical experiments. These findings reveal that the human social vision pathway encodes facial expressions and motion as deviations from a neutral expression prototype during natural social interactions in real life.