Researchers used fMRI to record brain activity while macaque monkeys made facial movements. The team tracked brain areas that connect to facial muscles and created a simple map of a facial motor network with lateral and medial regions and the primary somatosensory area.
The scientists tested three actions: threatening, lipsmacking and chewing. They used live interaction, video clips and digital avatars. The main finding was that both higher and lower brain regions help make emotional and voluntary expressions, but they act on different timescales. Lateral regions were fast and medial areas were slower. The authors say the network changes coordination for different movements and could help future clinical devices.
Difficult words
- facial — connected to the face or its movements
- motor — related to movement or producing body movement
- network — a group of connected parts or brain areas
- lateral — toward the side, away from the middle
- medial — near the middle, toward the center of body
- voluntary — done by choice, not automatic or forced
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Discussion questions
- Which of the three actions (threatening, lipsmacking, chewing) would you find easiest to copy? Why?
- How can fast and slow brain areas help different facial expressions?
- Would you like to use digital avatars in a study like this? Why or why not?
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