Feature-based representations of emotional facial expressions in the human amygdala.

ABSTRACT: The amygdala plays a central role in processing facial affect, responding to diverse expressions and features shared between expressions. Although speculation exists regarding the nature of relationships between expression- and feature-specific amygdala reactivity, this matter has not been fully explored. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging and principal component analysis (PCA) in a sample of 300 young adults, to investigate patterns related to expression- and feature-specific amygdala reactivity to faces displaying neutral, fearful, angry or surprised expressions. The PCA revealed a two-dimensional correlation structure that distinguished emotional categories. The first principal component separated neutral and surprised from fearful and angry expressions, whereas the second pr

SUBMITTER: Ahs F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4158364 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature