Face-specific neural processes in the human brain have been localized to multiple anatomical structures and associated with diverse and dynamic social functions. The question of how various face-related systems and functions may be bound together remains an active area of investigation. We hypothesize that face processing may be associated with specific frequency band oscillations that serve to integrate distributed face processing systems. Using a multimodal imaging approach, including electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), simultaneous signals were acquired during face and object picture viewing. As expected for face processing, hemodynamic activity in the right occipital face area (OFA) increased during face viewing compared to object viewing, and in a subset of participants, the expected N170 EEG response was observed for faces. Based on recently reported associations between the theta band and visual processing, we hypothesized that increased hemodynamic activity in a face processing area would also be associated with greater theta-band activity originating in the same area. Consistent with our hypothesis, theta-band oscillations were also localized to the right OFA for faces, whereas alpha- and beta-band oscillations were not. Together, these findings suggest that theta-band oscillations originating in the OFA may be part of the distributed face-specific processing mechanism.

中文翻译：

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面部感知过程中θ波段活动和血液动力学反应的共定位：同步脑电图和功能性近红外光谱记录。

人脑中面部特定的神经过程已定位于多个解剖结构，并与多样化和动态的社会功能相关联。如何将各种与面部相关的系统和功能绑定在一起的问题仍然是一个活跃的研究领域。我们假设面部处理可能与用于集成分布式面部处理系统的特定频带振荡有关。使用多模态成像方法，包括脑电图 (EEG) 和功能近红外光谱 (fNIRS)，在面部和物体图片查看过程中同时获取信号。正如面部处理所预期的那样，与观察对象相比，观察面部时右侧枕面部 (OFA) 的血流动力学活动增加，并且在一部分参与者中，观察到面部的预期 N170 脑电图反应。根据最近报道的 theta 波段与视觉处理之间的关联，我们假设面部处理区域中增加的血流动力学活动也与源自同一区域的更大的 theta 波段活动相关。与我们的假设一致，theta 波段振荡也定位于面部的右侧 OFA，而 alpha 和 beta 波段振荡则不是。总之，这些发现表明源自 OFA 的 theta 波段振荡可能是分布式面部特定处理机制的一部分。我们假设面部处理区域增加的血流动力学活动也与源自同一区域的更大的 theta 波段活动相关。与我们的假设一致，theta 波段振荡也定位于面部的右侧 OFA，而 alpha 和 beta 波段振荡则不是。总之，这些发现表明源自 OFA 的 theta 波段振荡可能是分布式面部特定处理机制的一部分。我们假设面部处理区域增加的血流动力学活动也与源自同一区域的更大的 theta 波段活动相关。与我们的假设一致，theta 波段振荡也定位于面部的右侧 OFA，而 alpha 和 beta 波段振荡则不是。总之，这些发现表明源自 OFA 的 theta 波段振荡可能是分布式面部特定处理机制的一部分。