The neural basis of eye gaze processing

Humans are highly sensitive to another's gaze direction, and use this information to support a range of social cognitive functions. Here we review recent studies that have begun to delineate a neural system for gaze perception. We focus in particular on a set of core gaze processes: perceptual coding of another's eye gaze direction, which may involve anterior superior temporal sulcus (STS); gaze-cued attentional orienting, which may be mediated by lateral parietal regions; and the experience of joint attention with another individual, which recruits medial prefrontal cortex. We conclude that understanding this gaze processing system will require a combination of multivariate pattern analysis approaches to characterise the role of individual nodes as well as connectivity-based methods to study interactions at the systems level.

► New human and macaque studies suggest a network of brain regions for gaze processing. ► Gaze direction may be mediated by anterior superior temporal sulcus. ► Attentional orienting by gaze may involve lateral parietal cortex. ► Joint attention may preferentially involve medial prefrontal cortex. ► Multivariate pattern and connectivity methods are needed to characterise this system.