[Abstract Title]. - Society for Neuroscience

BOLD signal time courses for the four constellations showed the strongest increase in activity
for false alarms. To analyze the activity associated with perceived faces in more detail, we
subsequently contrasted BOLD responses for hits with those for false alarms. We found that
activity was significantly stronger for false alarms compared to hits in FFA, STS, OFA, parietal
and frontal areas. Apparently, false classification of images as faces correlates with enhanced
activation of cortical regions involved in face processing.
Disclosures: E. Genc, None; C. Tillmann, None; W. Singer, None; P. Uhlhaas, None; A.
Kohler, None.
Poster
260. Objects and Faces in Humans II
Time: Sunday, November 16, 2008, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Program#/Poster#: 260.6/BB18
Topic: D.04.j. Processing of objects and faces
Support: NIH Grant K23 MH076054
NARSAD Young Investigator Award
NIH Grant ROI EY017081
Title: Monitoring personal space: regions with a „looming‟ bias in the human brain
Authors: *B. S. CASSIDY 1 , X. YUE 2 , J. C. YOUNG 1 , S. HUANG 3 , S. K. LYNN 4 , R. B. H.
TOOTELL 2 , D. J. HOLT 1 ;
1 Psychiatry, Massachusetts Gen Hosp, Charlestown, MA; 2 Radiology, Massachusetts Gen.
Hosp., Charlestown, MA; 3 Behavioral Neurosci., Boston Univ. Sch. of Med., Boston, MA;
4 McLean Hosp., Belmont, MA
Abstract: Studies in non-human primates have identified a network of polymodal regions
(including the ventral intraparietal area (VIP), area 7b, premotor cortex and putamen) that
responds preferentially to objects and movements near the body. This near-space network is
proposed to protect the body surface from harm, and to facilitate contact with rewarding stimuli
(e.g. food or a mate). Some neurons within this network respond selectively to 'looming' stimuli
(e.g. expanding versus contracting), but the frequency and distribution of such responses are
unknown.
Using fMRI, we tested for regions in the human brain that exhibit a looming bias. Stimuli
included faces, 1) to permit assessment of face-selective areas (e.g. FFA) for this bias and 2)