RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Superior Facial Expression, But Not Identity Recognition, in Mirror-Touch Synesthesia
JF The Journal of Neuroscience
JO J. Neurosci.
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP 1820
OP 1824
DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5759-09.2011
VO 31
IS 5
A1 Banissy, Michael J.
A1 Garrido, Lúcia
A1 Kusnir, Flor
A1 Duchaine, Bradley
A1 Walsh, Vincent
A1 Ward, Jamie
YR 2011
UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/31/5/1820.abstract
AB Simulation models of expression recognition contend that to understand another's facial expressions, individuals map the perceived expression onto the same sensorimotor representations that are active during the experience of the perceived emotion. To investigate this view, the present study examines facial expression and identity recognition abilities in a rare group of participants who show facilitated sensorimotor simulation (mirror-touch synesthetes). Mirror-touch synesthetes experience touch on their own body when observing touch to another person. These experiences have been linked to heightened sensorimotor simulation in the shared-touch network (brain regions active during the passive observation and experience of touch). Mirror-touch synesthetes outperformed nonsynesthetic participants on measures of facial expression recognition, but not on control measures of face memory or facial identity perception. These findings imply a role for sensorimotor simulation processes in the recognition of facial affect, but not facial identity.