P. Hautecoeur et al., VISUAL EVOKED-POTENTIALS AND FACIAL RECOGNITION - INFLUENCE OF RENOWNAND EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION, Revue neurologique, 149(3), 1993, pp. 207-212
Visual evoked potentials (YEP) were recorded in the right and left par
ietal and occipital regions of 40 right-handed controls in a facial re
cognition task. YEP were studied first according to the renown of the
faces, then according to their emotional expression. Asymetry was note
d between the hemispheres : P100 was of greater amplitude and longer l
atency in the left occipital region. Later components (P400 and P600)
were of greater amplitude and longer latency in the right parietal reg
ion in all situations. P100 latency on the left side was shorter for r
enowned faces than for non-renowned faces (P = 0.05). P600 latency was
shorter on the right (P < 0. 03) and left (P < 0,05) sides for smilin
g than for non-smiling faces. When the subjects were asked to look for
emotional expression of the face (smiling or non-smiling) P400 was ve
ry ample and P600 of little amplitude. When the subjects were asked to
recognize the face (renowned or not renowned) P600 was very ample and
P400 of little amplitude. Thus, there seems to be a differential trea
tment of information: automatic and rapid to detect emotion (P400), co
ntrolled, tardy (P600) and involving memory in the search for renown.