Face recognition ability in preterm or low gestational weight adults and children.

Abstract

Face recognition impairments can present throughout life as a result of acquired or developmental influences. While existing evidence implicates genetics and early visual deprivation, little is known about how other early influences may impact the development of the face recognition system. Very recent evidence suggests that premature birth and low birth weight influence face recognition ability in later childhood (Perez-Roche et al., 2017), however, the trajectory of these impairments is unclear. The present research aimed to address how the early influence of prematurity and/or low birthweight affects the trajectory and plasticity of the face processing system from childhood to adulthood. In Experiment 1, adults (n = 94) completed four dominant tests of face and object recognition ability to assess their relevant perceptual and mnemonic skills, completed measures of social functioning, and provided information on their birth weight and gestation. In Experiment 2, we monitored the eye-movements of a subset of these participants (n = 32) while they viewed a set of static images of people engaged in naturalistic social scenes, to detect any atypicalities in the face-processing strategy itself. Correlational analyses revealed that percentile (a combination measure of birth weight and gestation) was related to, and predicted, only face perception scores. The present results are unlikely to be accounted for by general perceptual processing mechanisms and co-occurring socio-developmental disorders. We also did not observe convincing evidence for reduced optimum processing with reduced face perception skill, suggesting that abnormalities in the face processing strategy itself do not necessarily underpin atypical face perception skills. Most importantly, the present research suggests that, and at least in some cases, face- selective perceptual deficits remain consistent and persist from childhood (Perez-Roche et al., 2017) into adulthood. What remains unclear, as well as the theoretical and practical applications of this finding are discussed.