Neural Basis for Bridging Eye Contact and Joint Attention Behaviors
Poster No:
658
Submission Type:
Abstract Submission
Authors:
Takahiko Koike1, Kanae Ogasawara1, Shohei Tsuchimoto2, Satoshi Izuno3, Maho Hashiguchi3, Norihiro Sadato4
Institutions:
1RIKEN, Wako, Saitama, 2National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, 3National Insititure for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, 4Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga
First Author:
Co-Author(s):
Introduction:
Joint attention and eye contact involve shared visual attention. Eye contact reflects a dyadic relationship where individuals attend to each other, while joint attention is a triadic relationship where individuals focus on the same object. Developmental research suggests that joint attention depends on prior eye contact [1], yet their neural mechanisms remain unclear. Previous studies examined transitions between eye contact and joint attention or manipulated gaze but did not directly compare their neural bases [2,3]. Using hyperscanning fMRI and joint attention paradigm used in our previous study [2], this study investigates how the neural mechanisms of eye contact and joint attention relate.
Methods:
Thirty-eight participants were paired with unfamiliar, same-gender partners. A real-time video feed of the partner appeared in the screen's center, surrounded by blank space. Initially, participants fixated on a cross on the left side of the partner's face, serving as the baseline condition (averted gaze condition). After the cross disappeared, participants looked toward the partner, establishing eye contact, which lasted two or four seconds. Next, four stimuli appeared around the partner's face. With a red square cue, participants chose one stimulus by shifting their gaze. With a yellow square cue, participants followed their partner's gaze to the indicated object, establishing joint attention. Participants then identified the viewed object from options and responded via button press. In some trials, participants returned to an averted gaze state after eye contact without establishing joint attention. This design sequentially separated the neural bases of eye contact and joint attention, which were measured using hyperscanning fMRI. Control conditions ensured recorded brain activity reflected shared attention rather than simple gaze movements or face fixation. Participants performed similar actions, shifting their gaze from an averted state to eye contact and viewing an object. However, in the control condition, a blue square independently cued the target object, unrelated to the partner's gaze. Thus, participants did not share attention with their partner. Comparing brain activity between experimental and control conditions allowed us to examine the neural basis of eye contact and joint attention. Analyses were conducted primarily using SPM12.
·Experimental design
Results:
Brain activity during joint attention involved a broad network, including the cerebral cortex, insular cortex, and cerebellum (Fig. 2A). In contrast, eye contact-related activity occurred in the insular cortex, medial prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and thalamus (Fig. 2B). Among these regions, putamen and superior colliculus activity appeared only during eye contact (Fig. 2C, Green), while extensive cerebral cortical activity was exclusive to joint attention (Fig. 2C, Blue). Regions active during both eye contact and joint attention included the insular cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex, and thalamus (Fig. 2C, Red).
·fMRI results
Conclusions:
Previous studies repeatedly demonstrated that the insular cortex and anterior cingulate cortex are neural bases for eye contact and joint attention [2,3]. Our findings align with these results. Importantly, this study included control conditions requiring similar gaze behaviors without shared attention. This distinction indicates that activity in these regions is not simply bridging gaze movement with motor control. Instead, our results suggest that these regions act as hubs integrating distinct forms of shared attention behaviors.
Emotion, Motivation and Social Neuroscience:
Social Cognition 2
Social Interaction 1
Novel Imaging Acquisition Methods:
BOLD fMRI
Keywords:
FUNCTIONAL MRI
Social Interactions
Other - Hyperscanning
1|2Indicates the priority used for review
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[2] Koike, T., Tanabe, H. C., Adachi-Abe, S., Okazaki, S., Nakagawa, E., Sasaki, A. T., ... & Sadato, N. (2019). Role of the right anterior insular cortex in joint attention-related identification with a partner. Social cognitive and affective neuroscience, 14(10), 1131-1145.
[3] Koike, T., Sumiya, M., Nakagawa, E., Okazaki, S., & Sadato, N. (2019). What makes eye contact special? Neural substrates of on-line mutual eye-gaze: a hyperscanning fMRI study. Eneuro, 6(1).