Processing of facial emotional expression: spatio-temporal data as assessed by scalp event-related potentials

Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have indicated that efficient feature search (FS) and inefficient conjunction search (CS) activate partially distinct frontoparietal cortical networks. However, it remains a matter of debate whether the differences in these networks reflect differences in the early processing during FS and CS. In addition, the relationship between the differences in the networks and spatial shifts of attention also remains unknown. We examined these issues by applying a spatio-temporal analysis method to high-resolution visual event-related potentials (ERPs) and investigated how spatio-temporal activation patterns differ for FS and CS tasks. Within the first 450 msec after stimulus onset, scalp potential distributions (ERP maps) revealed 7 different electric field configurations for each search task. Configuration changes occurred simultaneously in the two tasks, suggesting that contributing processes were not significantly delayed in one task compared to the other. Despite this high spatial and temporal correlation, two ERP maps (120–190 and 250–300 msec) differed between the FS and CS. Lateralized distributions were observed only in the ERP map at 250–300 msec for the FS. This distribution corresponds to that previously described as the N2pc component (a negativity in the time range of the N2 complex over posterior electrodes of the hemisphere contralateral to the target hemifield), which has been associated with the focusing of attention onto potential target items in the search display. Thus, our results indicate that the cortical networks involved in feature and conjunction searching partially differ as early as 120 msec after stimulus onset and that the differences between the networks employed during the early stages of FS and CS are not necessarily caused by spatial attention shifts.

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Event-Related Potentials

10.1093/med/9780190228484.003.0039 ◽

2017 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marco Congendo ◽

Fernando H. Lopes da Silva

Keyword(s):

Principal Component ◽

Event Related Potentials ◽

Component Analysis ◽

Statistical Testing ◽

Time Averaging ◽

Common Spatial Pattern ◽

Topographic Analysis ◽

Temporal Filtering ◽

Related Potentials ◽

Spatio Temporal

Event-related potentials (ERPs) can be elicited by a variety of stimuli and events in diverse conditions. This chapter covers the methodology of analyzing and quantifying ERPs in general. Basic models (additive, phase modulation and resetting, potential asymmetry) that account for the generation of ERPs are discussed. The principles and requirements of ensemble time averaging are presented, along with several univariate and multivariate methods that have been proposed to improve the averaging procedure: wavelet decomposition and denoising, spatial, temporal and spatio-temporal filtering. We emphasize basic concepts of principal component analysis, common spatial pattern, and blind source separation, including independent component analysis. We cover practical questions related to the averaging procedure: overlapping ERPs, correcting inter-sweep latency and amplitude variability, alternative averaging methods (e.g., median), and estimation of ERP onset. Some specific aspects of ERP analysis in the frequency domain are surveyed, along with topographic analysis, statistical testing, and classification methods.

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Categorical Perception of Happiness and Fear Facial Expressions: An ERP Study

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience ◽

10.1162/089892902317236858 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 210-227 ◽

Cited By ~ 127

Author(s):

S. Campanella ◽

P. Quinet ◽

R. Bruyer ◽

M. Crommelinck ◽

J.-M. Guerit

Keyword(s):

Facial Expressions ◽

Emotional Expression ◽

Categorical Perception ◽

Event Related Potentials ◽

Matching Task ◽

Emotional Expressions ◽

Behavioral Studies ◽

Temporal Course ◽

Related Potentials ◽

Repetition Priming Effect

Behavioral studies have shown that two different morphed faces perceived as reflecting the same emotional expression are harder to discriminate than two faces considered as two different ones. This advantage of between-categorical differences compared with within-categorical ones is classically referred as the categorical perception effect. The temporal course of this effect on fear and happiness facial expressions has been explored through event-related potentials (ERPs). Three kinds of pairs were presented in a delayed same–different matching task: (1) two different morphed faces perceived as the same emotional expression (within-categorical differences), (2) two other ones reflecting two different emotions (between-categorical differences), and (3) two identical morphed faces (same faces for methodological purpose). Following the second face onset in the pair, the amplitude of the bilateral occipito-temporal negativities (N170) and of the vertex positive potential (P150 or VPP) was reduced for within and same pairs relative to between pairs. This suggests a repetition priming effect. We also observed a modulation of the P3b wave, as the amplitude of the responses for the between pairs was higher than for the within and same pairs. These results indicate that the categorical perception of human facial emotional expressions has a perceptual origin in the bilateral occipito-temporal regions, while typical prior studies found emotion-modulated ERP components considerably later.

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Optimal linear spatial filters for event-related potentials based on a spatio-temporal model: Asymptotical performance analysis

Signal Processing ◽

10.1016/j.sigpro.2012.07.019 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 93 (2) ◽

pp. 387-398 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Bertrand Rivet ◽

Antoine Souloumiac

Keyword(s):

Performance Analysis ◽

Event Related Potentials ◽

Spatial Filters ◽

Optimal Linear ◽

Related Potentials ◽

Temporal Model ◽

Spatio Temporal

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Temporal Dynamics of Event-Related Potentials during Inhibitory Control Characterize Age-Related Neural Compensation

Symmetry ◽

10.3390/sym13122323 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (12) ◽

pp. 2323

Author(s):

Elizabeth R. Paitel ◽

Kristy A. Nielson

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Young Adults ◽

Inhibitory Control ◽

Right Hemisphere ◽

Temporal Dynamics ◽

Event Related Potentials ◽

Conflict Monitoring ◽

Age Related ◽

Related Potentials ◽

Spatio Temporal

Aging is accompanied by frontal lobe and non-dominant hemisphere recruitment that supports executive functioning, such as inhibitory control, which is crucial to all cognitive functions. However, the spatio-temporal sequence of processing underlying successful inhibition and how it changes with age is understudied. Thus, we capitalized on the temporal precision of event-related potentials (ERPs) to assess the functional lateralization of N200 (conflict monitoring) and P300 (inhibitory performance evaluation) in young and healthy older adults during comparably performed successful stop-signal inhibition. We additionally used temporal principal components analysis (PCA) to further interrogate the continuous spatio-temporal dynamics underlying N200 and P300 activation for each group. Young adults demonstrated left hemisphere-dominant N200, while older adults demonstrated overall larger amplitudes and right hemisphere dominance. N200 activation was explained by a single PCA factor in both age groups, but with a more anterior scalp distribution in older adults. The P300 amplitudes were larger in the right hemisphere in young, but bilateral in old, with old larger than young in the left hemisphere. P300 was also explained by a single factor in young adults but by two factors in older adults, including distinct parieto-occipital and anterior activation. These findings highlight the differential functional asymmetries of conflict monitoring (N200) and inhibitory evaluation and adaptation (P300) processes and further illuminate unique age-related spatio-temporal recruitment patterns. Older adults demonstrated lateralized recruitment during conflict processing and bilateral recruitment during evaluation and adaptation, with anterior recruitment common to both processes. These fine-grained analyses are critically important for more precise understanding of age-related compensatory activation.

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Temporal Dynamics of Event-Related Potentials During Inhibitory Control Characterize Age-Related Neural Compensation

10.20944/preprints202105.0473.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Elizabeth R Paitel ◽

Kristy A Nielson

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Left Hemisphere ◽

Inhibitory Control ◽

Response Inhibition ◽

Temporal Dynamics ◽

Event Related Potentials ◽

Conflict Monitoring ◽

Age Related ◽

Related Potentials ◽

Spatio Temporal

Aging is accompanied by frontal lobe and non-dominant hemisphere recruitment that supports executive functioning, such as inhibitory control, which is crucial to all cognitive functions. Yet, the spatio-temporal sequence of processing underlying successful inhibition and how it changes with age is understudied. Thus, we assessed N200 (conflict monitoring) and P300 (response inhibition, performance evaluation) event-related potentials (ERPs) in young and healthy older adults during comparably performed successful stop-signal inhibition. We additionally interrogated the continuous spatio-temporal dynamics of N200- and P300-related activation within each group. Young adults had left hemisphere dominant N200, while older adults had overall larger amplitudes and right hemisphere dominance. N200 activation was biphasic in both groups but differed in scalp topography. P300 also differed, with larger right amplitudes in young, but bilateral amplitudes in old, with old larger than young in the left hemisphere. P300 was characterized by an early parieto-occipital peak in both groups, followed by a parietal slow wave only in older adults. A temporally similar but topographically different final wave followed in both groups that showed anterior recruitment in older adults. These findings illuminate differential age-related spatio-temporal recruitment patterns for conflict monitoring and response inhibition that are critically important for understanding age-related compensatory activation.

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