Abstract

The neural systems underlying face processing must be able to rapidly and reliably register and react to complex and dynamic facial displays and be amenable to cognitive control. Developmental studies suggest that the emergence of face processing in infancy through adolescence may in part be characterized by shifts in the interplay between the subcortical and cortical systems. This article demonstrates the evidence supporting this view by beginning with a brief description of the brain bases of face processing in adults, and then turning to studies of humans and non-human primates which investigate the structural or functional development of these regions. The brain structures involved in face processing and their interconnections mature along different timelines and become increasingly integrated during infancy and adolescence to support more complex and controlled use of facial social information.