In conclusion, by using high-field SE fMRI, we were able to show functional activation in an extensive network within the ventral temporal lobe and MTL and identified several additional face-selective areas, some of which may be homologous to human face areas.

Most activated areas were also activated under anesthesia, suggesting the network is to a large extent independent of conscious processes. Awake monkey fMRI experiments were performed on two healthy male monkeys (Macaca mulatta), weighing 14 (G03) and 16 kg (B04). We needed three experimental sessions for animal B04 and five sessions for animal G03. In each 17-AAG in vivo session, the monkey successfully performed the task for an average duration of 2 hr. All experiments were approved by the local authorities (Regierungspräsidium) and were in full compliance with the guidelines of the European Community (EUVD 86/609/EEC) for the care and use of laboratory animals. The primate setup and hardware for the awake monkey experiments were described in detail previously (see Goense et al., 2008 and Logothetis et al., 1999). Briefly, the monkeys were implanted with a custom-made MR-compatible headpost and extensively trained in a mock environment to acclimatize them to the scanner environment

and noise. FG-4592 During scanning the monkeys were seated in a custom-made primate chair with their head fixed to a predetermined location on the chair to ensure reproducible positioning in each session. The animal’s jaw and body motions were monitored by custom-designed sensors. Eye movements were monitored by using an infrared camera or implanted eye coil and data were analyzed with iView software (iView, Sensomotoric Instruments GmbH, Teltow, Germany). Anesthetized experiments were performed on three adult macaques weighing 7–12 kg (two males, C06 and L04, and one female, N08). The experimental setup and anesthesia protocol were similar to the procedures described in  Logothetis et al., 1999.

Anesthesia was maintained with remifentanil (0.5–2 μg/kg/min) and mivacurium chloride (3–6 mg/kg/hr). Physiological parameters were monitored and maintained within the normal physiological range as described previously ( Logothetis et al., 1999). In awake experiments visual stimuli were presented binocularly by using an SVGA fiber optic system Mephenoxalone (AVOTEC, Silent Vision) with a resolution of 800 × 600 pixels and frame rate of 60 Hz. The stimuli were 24 exemplars of faces, fruit, houses, and fractals (Figure 1A) and occupied 5° × 5° of visual angle. The smaller stimuli made it easier for the monkeys to maintain fixation. Images were black and white, normalized to the same mean intensity and contrast, and overlaid on a gray background with the same intensity as the mean intensity of the stimuli. All stimuli had similar power spectra. Fractals were used instead of scrambled images because the power spectra of fractals more closely match that of natural objects (Falconer, 2003).