How do our brains recognize faces?

Brain studies consisting of fMRI experiments will measure brain activity during tasks to asses how we perceive faces.

The fusiform area (FSA) was found to be active when looking at images, photographs, and even drawings of people. However, that area of the brain was not found to be active when participants looked at objects instead of faces.

This prompted researchers to wonder if the FFA is a key component in facial recognition. It was found that the FFA only responds to faces in their normal arrangement and orientation.

So, why do our brains sometimes recognize faces so easily (and other times fail)? Watch the video above to learn more!