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Rapid amygdala gamma oscillations in response to eye gaze.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The eye gaze of other individuals conveys important social information and can trigger multiple psychological activities; some of which, such as emotional reactions and attention orienting, occur very rapidly. Although some neuroscientific evidence has suggested that the amygdala may be involved in such rapid gaze processing, no evidence has been reported concerning the speed at which the amygdala responds to eye gaze.

Methodology/principal findings

To investigate this issue, we recorded electrical activity within the amygdala of six subjects using intracranial electrodes. Subjects observed images of eyes and mosaics pointing in averted and straight directions. The amygdala showed higher gamma-band oscillations for eye gaze than for mosaics, which peaked at 200 ms regardless of the direction of the gaze.

Conclusion

These results indicate that the human amygdala rapidly processes eye gaze.

SUBMITTER: Sato W

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3227649 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Rapid amygdala gamma oscillations in response to eye gaze.

Sato Wataru W Kochiyama Takanori T Uono Shota S Matsuda Kazumi K Usui Keiko K Inoue Yushi Y Toichi Motomi M

PloS one 20111130 11

<h4>Background</h4>The eye gaze of other individuals conveys important social information and can trigger multiple psychological activities; some of which, such as emotional reactions and attention orienting, occur very rapidly. Although some neuroscientific evidence has suggested that the amygdala may be involved in such rapid gaze processing, no evidence has been reported concerning the speed at which the amygdala responds to eye gaze.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>To investigate this ...[more]

PMID: 22140541

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