The changing landscape of functional brain networks for face processing in typical development

• Published in: NeuroImage (Orlando, Fla.) Fla.), 2012-11, Vol.63 (3), p.1223-1236
• Main Authors: Joseph, Jane E., Swearingen, Joshua E., Clark, Jonathan D., Benca, Chelsie E., Collins, Heather R., Corbly, Christine R., Gathers, Ann D., Bhatt, Ramesh S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age; Brain; Brain - growth & development; Brain - physiology; Brain Mapping; Child; Child, Preschool; Development; Face; Face processing; Female; Functional connectivity; Graph theory; Humans; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Neural Pathways - growth & development; Neural Pathways - physiology; Pattern Recognition, Visual - physiology; Social neuroscience; Specialization; Studies; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1053-8119; 1095-9572
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.08.021

Greater expertise for faces in adults than in children may be achieved by a dynamic interplay of functional segregation and integration of brain regions throughout development. The present study examined developmental changes in face network functional connectivity in children (5–12years) and adults (18–43years) during face-viewing using a graph-theory approach. A face-specific developmental change involved connectivity of the right occipital face area. During childhood, this node increased in strength and within-module clustering based on positive connectivity. These changes reflect an important role of the ROFA in segregation of function during childhood. In addition, strength and diversity of connections within a module that included primary visual areas (left and right calcarine) and limbic regions (left hippocampus and right inferior orbitofrontal cortex) increased from childhood to adulthood, reflecting increased visuo–limbic integration. This integration was pronounced for faces but also emerged for natural objects. Taken together, the primary face-specific developmental changes involved segregation of a posterior visual module during childhood, possibly implicated in early stage perceptual face processing, and greater integration of visuo–limbic connections from childhood to adulthood, which may reflect processing related to development of perceptual expertise for individuation of faces and other visually homogenous categories. ► Few functional connectivity studies of typical development of face processing exist. ► Graph-theory based connectivity revealed network changes during childhood. ► Right occipital face area connectivity showed a face-specific developmental change. ► Visuo-limbic connections increased from childhood to adulthood. ► Increased visuo-limbic connectivity may support development of perceptual expertise.