Decoding of the other’s focus of attention by a temporal cortex module

Abstract

Faces attract the observers attention towards objects and locations of interest for the other, thereby allowing the two agents to establish joint attention. Previous work has delineated a network of cortical \"patches\" in the macaque cortex, processing faces, eventually also extracting information on the others gaze direction. Yet, the neural mechanism that links information on gaze direction, guiding the observers attention to the relevant object has remained elusive. Here we present electrophysiological evidence for the existence of a distinct \"gaze-following patch (GFP)\" with neurons that establish this linkage in a highly flexible manner. The others gaze and the object, singled out by the gaze, are linked only if this linkage is pertinent within the prevailing social context. The properties of these neurons establish the GFP as a key switch in controlling social interactions based on the others gaze.\n\nOne Sentence SummaryNeurons in a \"gaze-following patch\" in the posterior temporal cortex orchestrate the flexible linkage between the others gaze and objects of interest to both, the other and the observer.