Cortical specialisation for face processing: face-sensitive event-related potential components in 3- and 12-month-old infants

The adult N170 is considered to be an electrophysiological marker of specialised mechanisms for face processing, but little is known about its developmental origin. Previous work has identified two face-sensitive infant ERP components (N290 and P400) (J. Cog. Neurosci. 14 (2002), 199). In the presen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:NeuroImage (Orlando, Fla.) Fla.), 2003-07, Vol.19 (3), p.1180-1193
Main Authors: Halit, H, de Haan, M, Johnson, M.H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Brain
Brain Mapping
Cerebral Cortex - physiology
Electroencephalography
Evoked Potentials - physiology
Face
Female
Haplorhini
Humans
Infant
Male
Medical imaging
Monkeys & apes
Orientation
Specialization
Studies
Visual Perception - physiology
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Summary:The adult N170 is considered to be an electrophysiological marker of specialised mechanisms for face processing, but little is known about its developmental origin. Previous work has identified two face-sensitive infant ERP components (N290 and P400) (J. Cog. Neurosci. 14 (2002), 199). In the present study, we assessed the specificity (to upright human faces) of these infant components at 3 and 12 months. At 12 months the degree of specificity observed in both components was similar to that seen in the adult N170. In contrast, at 3 months of age the N290 and P400 did not show the same level of specificity for human faces as that observed at 12 months. Our findings suggest that (1) both face-sensitive components increase in their specificity for upright human faces during development, and (2) the adult N170 is not preceded by a single developmental precursor, but rather emerges as a consequence of the integration of two functionally and morphologically distinct components (N290 and P400).
ISSN:1053-8119
1095-9572
DOI:10.1016/S1053-8119(03)00076-4