Recently, researchers from the Institute of Psychology (IP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, have revealed insights into the genetic and neural bases of facial emotion recognition in humans and monkeys.

The findings were published in National Science Review on Nov. 8.

Facial emotion recognition is a crucial social skill that enables individuals to quickly and accurately identify primary emotions, such as joy and fear. This ability is often impaired in social cognitive disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Despite its importance in social interactions, the origins of this ability remain unclear.

In this study, researchers employed a classic twin study design, utilizing both behavioral assessments and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in humans, alongside in vivo electrophysiological recordings from monkeys. They first differentiated the effects of genetic and environmental factors on facial emotion recognition.

By analyzing identical and fraternal twins, who share 100% and 50% genetic similarity respectively, researchers found that low spatial frequency (LSF) processing is largely regulated by genetic factors, while high spatial frequency (HSF) processing is mostly influenced by environmental factors. This highlights the different roles of genetics and environment in facial emotion recognition.

LSF processing relates to the overall characteristics of facial emotions, whereas HSF focuses on fine details. The fMRI results indicated that emotional recognition relying on LSF is genetically related with the functioning of the amygdala, with no such connection found for HSF. Further electrophysiological study in monkeys confirm the existence of neurons differentially preferring LSF and HSF emotional faces. This suggests distinct neural mechanisms underlying LSF and HSF in emotion recognition.

"Our study indicates that the ability to recognize LSF is evolutionarily acquired and regulated by innate genetic modules, while HSF capabilities develop through learning during growth," said Prof. DAI Ji from SIAT, one of the corresponding authors of this paper. "This sheds new light on the long-standing debate of nature versus nurture in emotional processing."

Moreover, the study's revelation of the genetic characteristics underlying LSF recognition capacity offers important insights into identifying internal phenotypes for social cognitive disorders like ASD.

In summary, facial emotion recognition is shaped by genetic and environmental factors, with LSF and HSF showing distinct processing mechanisms. These findings not only deepen our understanding of human social behavior but also pave new paths for research and intervention in social cognitive disorders.

Schematic illustration of the twins-based behavioral experiment, the twins-based fMRI experiment, and the monkey electrophysiological experiment. (Image by SIAT)

Media Contact: LU Qun

Email: qun.lu@siat.ac.cn

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Genetic and Neuronal Basis for Facial Emotion Perception in Humans and Macaques