Work

Perceptual metacognition of human faces is causally supported by function of the lateral prefrontal cortex

Year: 2020

Type: article

Abstract: Metacognitive awareness—the ability to know that one is having a particular experience—is thought to guide optimal behavior, but its neural bases continue to be the subject of vigorous debate. Prior work has identified correlations between perceptual metacognitive ability and the structure and function of lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC); however, evidence for a causal role of this region in promoting metacognition is controversial. Moreover, whether LPFC function promotes metacognitive awareness of perceptual and emotional features of complex, yet ubiquitous face stimuli is unknown. Here, using model-based analyses following a causal intervention to LPFC in humans, we demonstrate that LPFC function promotes metacognitive awareness of the orientation of faces—although not of their emotional expressions. Collectively, these data support the causal involvement of the prefrontal cortex in metacognitive awareness, and indicate that the role of LPFC in metacognition encompasses perceptual experiences of naturalistic social stimuli.

Source: Communications Biology

DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-1049-3

Authors: Regina C. Lapate, Jason Samaha, Bas Rokers, Bradley R. Postle, Richard J. Davidson

Institutions: University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of California, Santa Barbara, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Santa Cruz, New York University Abu Dhabi

Language: English

Topic: Face Recognition and Perception

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,290