5. Cognitive Neuroscience Methods II

The lecture explores methods in human cognitive neuroscience, specifically face perception. It begins by addressing the computational challenges of face recognition, such as image variation, and reviews behavioral studies, including the face inversion effect, which suggests face recognition differs from other forms of recognition. Functional MRI studies are examined, questioning whether the fusiform face area is selectively responsive to faces. The lecture then discusses the temporal resolution of face recognition, introducing EEG and MEG to measure neural activity. Intracranial recordings from epilepsy patients provide high-resolution data, and electrical stimulation experiments demonstrate the causal role of specific brain regions in face perception. The lecture concludes by examining prosopagnosia and the importance of considering alternative hypotheses when interpreting neuropsychological data.