Pathways for smiling, disgust and fear recognition in blindsight patients. (May 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gerbella, Marzio; Caruana, Fausto; Rizzolatti, Giacomo
• Is Part Of: Neuropsychologia. Volume 128(2019)
• Page Start: 6
• Page End: 13
• Publication Date: 2019-05
• Subjects: Emotion recognition -- Anterior insula -- Anterior cingulate -- Amygdala -- Superior colliculus -- Superior temporal sulcus; Neuropsychology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Neuropsychologie -- Périodiques; Neuropsychology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.08.028
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0028-3932

Abstract

Abstract: The aim of the present review is to discuss the localization of circuits that allow recognition of emotional facial expressions in blindsight patients. Because recognition of facial expressions is function of different centers, and their localization is not always clear, we decided to discuss here three emotional facial expression – smiling, disgust, and fear – whose anatomical localization in the pregenual sector of the anterior cingulate cortex (pACC), anterior insula (AI), and amygdala, respectively, is well established. We examined, then, the possible pathways that may convey affective visual information to these centers following lesions of V1. We concluded that the pathway leading to pACC, AI, and amygdala involves the deep layers of the superior colliculus, the medial pulvinar, and the superior temporal sulcus region. We suggest that this visual pathway provides an image of the observed affective faces, which, although deteriorated, is sufficient to determine some overt behavior, but not to provide conscious experience of the presented stimuli. Highlights: The pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pACC) is the core center for smiling. Disgust production and recognition depends on the anterior insula (AI). Fear experience and recognition depends on the amygdala. In blindsights emotional expressions is recognized via SC-Pul-STS pathway.