Functional Organization of Visual Neurones Processing Face Identity

Abstract

We have found five different types of cell in the macaque temporal cortex each selective for one prototypical view of the head (face, profile, back of head, head up and head down). Neuronal analysis of these different head views is performed in anatomically discrete “columns” or patches of temporal cortex. In each of the five classes we have found cells sensitive to identity. Such cells respond selectively to one view of a particular individual and generalize across facial expression, viewing distance and changes in lighting or orientation (upright, inverted). A further class of cells responsive to all views of the head also contains cells selective for identity. We propose that sensitivity in this class to identity, independent of view (person recognition), is established by pooling the outputs of cells sensitive to identity for each prototypical view. This hierarchical scheme corresponds to computing view-independent (object centred) descriptions from high level view-dependent descriptions.