Network Connectivity of the Right STS in Three Social Perception Localizers

Dasgupta, Samhita; Tyler, Sarah; Wicks, Jonathan; Srinivasan, Ramesh; Grossman, Emily D.

doi:10.1162/jocn_a_01054

Cited by 33 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…during various social perceptual tasks including BM processing supported this view (28). The present DCM analysis confirmed the integrative role of the STS in the temporal module, by indicating specific modulation of the effective connections from the FFG and MTC to the STS during BM processing.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

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Structural and effective brain connectivity underlying biological motion detection

Sokolov

Zeidman

Erb

et al. 2018

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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The perception of actions underwrites a wide range of socio-cognitive functions. Previous neuroimaging and lesion studies identified several components of the brain network for visual biological motion (BM) processing, but interactions among these components and their relationship to behavior remain little understood. Here, using a recently developed integrative analysis of structural and effective connectivity derived from high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we assess the cerebro-cerebellar network for processing of camouflaged point-light BM. Dynamic causal modeling (DCM) informed by probabilistic tractography indicates that the right superior temporal sulcus (STS) serves as an integrator within the temporal module. However, the STS does not appear to be a "gatekeeper" in the functional integration of the occipito-temporal and frontal regions: The fusiform gyrus (FFG) and middle temporal cortex (MTC) are also connected to the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and insula, indicating multiple parallel pathways. BM-specific loops of effective connectivity are seen between the left lateral cerebellar lobule Crus I and right STS, as well as between the left Crus I and right insula. The prevalence of a structural pathway between the FFG and STS is associated with better BM detection. Moreover, a canonical variate analysis shows that the visual sensitivity to BM is best predicted by BM-specific effective connectivity from the FFG to STS and from the IFG, insula, and STS to the early visual cortex. Overall, the study characterizes the architecture of the cerebro-cerebellar network for BM processing and offers prospects for assessing the social brain.biological motion | dynamic causal modelling | diffusion tensor imaging | functional MRI | network analysis N onverbal social cognition (inferring the intentions and affective and mental states of others based on nonverbal information) predominates in our daily life (1-3). Understanding of bodily expressions represents a key element of social cognition (3-5). Perception of dynamic bodily signals is commonly assessed by point-light biological motion (BM; ref. 6), as it enables one to separate the effects of motion from other attributes such as body shape or facial expressions (Fig. 1). Innate tuning to body motion is seen across species (7,8). Studies using different imaging modalities, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), positron emission tomography, electroencephalography (EEG), and magnetoencephalography, have unveiled components of the BM processing network. However, communication within this network remains little understood.The main foci of reported activation are the superior temporal sulcus (STS; refs. 9-19), fusiform gyrus (FFG;, middle temporal cortex (MTC; refs. 11 and 20), parietal regions (10,17,21,23), inferior frontal gyrus (IFG; refs. 14 and 24), bilateral insula (14, 25), and the left lateral cerebellum (26). More recently, by using whole-head ultra-high-field 9.4T fMRI and te...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…The only task-related functional connectivity study of BM processing suggests that the right FFG, MTC, and STS are functionally integrated and that the right STS exclusively entertains connectivity with the right insula and IFG (28). These findings may speak to a right temporal BM processing module comprising the FFG, MTC, and STS.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural and effective brain connectivity underlying biological motion detection

Sokolov

Zeidman

Erb

et al. 2018

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…The lack of TMS effects over expressivity evaluation of nonportrait paintings may appear at odds with prior evidence showing that STS is also involved in processing biologically salient stimuli other than faces, such as human bodies moving or in postures implying motion, or in (bodily) action prediction (e.g., Avenanti, Candidi, & Urgesi, 2013;Barraclough, Xiao, Oram, & Perrett, 2006;Dasgupta, Tyler, Wicks, Srinivasan, & Grossman, 2017;Grossman, Battelli, & Pascual-Leone, 2005;Jokisch, Daum, Suchan, & Troje, 2005;Makris & Urgesi, 2014). However, in our experiment, we specifically targeted a sector of STS that strongly responded to faces in a prior neuroimaging study (Engell & Haxby, 2007).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

TMS over the superior temporal sulcus affects expressivity evaluation of portraits

Ferrari

Schiavi

Cattaneo

2018

Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci

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When viewing a portrait, we are often captured by its expressivity, even if the emotion depicted is not immediately identifiable. If the neural mechanisms underlying emotion processing of real faces have been largely clarified, we still know little about the neural basis of evaluation of (emotional) expressivity in portraits. In this study, we aimed at assessing-by means of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-whether the right superior temporal sulcus (STS) and the right somatosensory cortex (SC), that are important in discriminating facial emotion expressions, are also causally involved in the evaluation of expressivity of portraits. We found that interfering via TMS with activity in (the face region of) right STS significantly reduced the extent to which portraits (but not other paintings depicting human figures with faces only in the background) were perceived as expressive, without, though, affecting their liking. In turn, interfering with activity of the right SC had no impact on evaluating either expressivity or liking of either paintings' category. Our findings suggest that evaluation of emotional cues in artworks recruit (at least partially) the same neural mechanisms involved in processing genuine biological others. Moreover, they shed light on the neural basis of liking decisions in art by art-naïve people, supporting the view that aesthetic appreciation relies on a multitude of factors beyond emotional evaluation.

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“…An integrative analysis of structural and effective brain connectivity sheds light on architecture and functional principles of the BM circuitry, which is organized in a parallel rather than hierarchical manner (Sokolov et al, 2018). The hub of this circuitry lies in the right posterior superior temporal sulcus, STS (Grossman and Blake, 2002;Beauchamp et al, 2003;Gobbini et al, 2007;Kaiser et al, 2010;Herrington et al, 2011;Dasgupta et al, 2017), where this network likely communicates with the social brain, the neural circuits underwriting our ability for perception and understanding of drives, intentions, and emotions of others. The visual sensitivity to BM is best predicted by functional communication (effective connectivity) and presence of whitematter pathways between the right STS and fusiform gyrus (Sokolov et al, 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Untangling the Ties Between Social Cognition and Body Motion: Gender Impact

et al. 2020

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We proved the viability of the general hypothesis that biological motion (BM) processing serves as a hallmark of social cognition. We assumed that BM processing and inferring emotions through BM (body language reading) are firmly linked and examined whether this tie is gender-specific. Healthy females and males completed two tasks with the same set of point-light BM displays portraying angry and neutral locomotion of female and male actors. For one task, perceivers had to indicate actor gender, while for the other, they had to infer the emotional content of locomotion. Thus, with identical visual input, we directed task demands either to BM processing or inferring of emotion. This design allows straight comparison between sensitivity to BM and recognition of emotions conveyed by the same BM. In addition, perceivers were administered a set of photographs from the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET), with which they identified either emotional state or actor gender. Although there were no gender differences in performance on BM tasks, a tight link occurred between recognition accuracy of emotions and gender through BM in males. In females only, body language reading (both accuracy and response time) was associated with performance on the RMET. The outcome underscores gender-specific modes in visual social cognition and triggers investigation of body language reading in a wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders.

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Network Connectivity of the Right STS in Three Social Perception Localizers

Cited by 33 publications

References 78 publications

Structural and effective brain connectivity underlying biological motion detection

Structural and effective brain connectivity underlying biological motion detection

TMS over the superior temporal sulcus affects expressivity evaluation of portraits

Untangling the Ties Between Social Cognition and Body Motion: Gender Impact

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