Developmental prosopagnosics have normal spatial integration in posterior ventral face-selective regions

Developmental prosopagnosics show normal pRF size and spatial integration across visual areas despite face recognition deficits.

• Why it matters: Understanding whether face recognition impairments stem from altered neural spatial integration is crucial for developing targeted interventions and theories of face processing.
• What they did: The study measured population receptive field (pRF) properties in 20 individuals with developmental prosopagnosia and 20 controls using a stimulus designed to activate multiple visual areas, analyzing pRF size, coverage, and centers.
• The result: Findings reveal that, despite weaker face selectivity, DPs have similar pRF properties to controls across the visual hierarchy, challenging the idea that reduced spatial integration causes DP and prompting exploration of alternative neural mechanisms.