Fusiform gyrus

Fusiform gyrus is basically the main affected area of the brain when one has prosopagnosia.

This part of the brain is specialized in vision functions, and some are involved in certain named areas of the fusiform gyrus:

• The fusiform gyrus (FG) is responsible for recognizing different types of objects. For example, if the object is a piece of furniture or a ball. Studies in fMRI shows lateral activity of the FG when the objects are similar and medial activity when objects are different

• The part of the FG connected with the recognition of faces is the fusiform face area (FFA), located on the lateral area of the mid-FG. Its responsibilities include self-recognition as well. However, studies show that FFA by itself is not sufficient, needing other parts of the FG like the occipital face area (OFA).

• At the left lateral of the FG is located the visual word form area (VWFA), which commit to the recognition of words and reading. An increase in the activation of the VWFA when subjects are learned to read. ¹

Below, a detailed image of the brain:

Text source:

¹ Radiopaedia: http://radiopaedia.org/articles/occipitotemporal-fusiform-gyrus

Image sources:

Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/brain-babble/201309/prosopagnosia-why-some-are-blind-faces

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: http://old.post-gazette.com/images4/20100502face_blind_brain_407.gif

#brain #fusiform #gyrus #recognition #face