Pitcher, David James orcid.org/0000-0001-8526-2111, Japee, Shruti, Rauth, Lionel et al. (1 more author) (2017) The Superior Temporal Sulcus Is Causally Connected to the Amygdala:A Combined TBS-fMRI Study. Journal of neuroscience. pp. 1156-1161. ISSN 1529-2401
Abstract
Nonhuman primate neuroanatomical studies have identified a cortical pathway from the superior temporal sulcus (STS) projecting into dorsal subregions of the amygdala, but whether this same pathway exists in humans is unknown. Here, we addressed this question by combining theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (TBS) with fMRI to test the prediction that the STS and amygdala are functionally connected during face perception. Human participants (N = 17) were scanned, over two sessions, while viewing 3 s video clips of moving faces, bodies, and objects. During these sessions, TBS was delivered over the face-selective right posterior STS (rpSTS) or over the vertex control site. A region-of-interest analysis revealed results consistent with our hypothesis. Namely, TBS delivered over the rpSTS reduced the neural response to faces (but not to bodies or objects) in the rpSTS, right anterior STS (raSTS), and right amygdala, compared with TBS delivered over the vertex. By contrast, TBS delivered over the rpSTS did not significantly reduce the neural response to faces in the right fusiform face area or right occipital face area. This pattern of results is consistent with the existence of a cortico-amygdala pathway in humans for processing face information projecting from the rpSTS, via the raSTS, into the amygdala. This conclusion is consistent with nonhuman primate neuroanatomy and with existing face perception models.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2017, the authors |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Psychology (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 08 Feb 2017 12:41 |
Last Modified: | 03 Mar 2025 00:04 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0114-16.2016 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0114-16.2016 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:112093 |