Cited by 90Memory Processes and InfluencesFace Recognition and PerceptionMemory and Neural Mechanisms

Orbitofrontal and hippocampal contributions to memory for face–name associations: The rewarding power of a smile

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Tsukiura, Takashi, Cabeza, Roberto·2008·Neuropsychologia

Abstract

Memory processes can be enhanced by reward, and social signals such a smiling face can be rewarding to humans. Using event-related functional MRI (fMRI), we investigated the rewarding effect of a simple smile during the encoding and retrieval of face-name associations. During encoding, participants viewed smiling or neutral faces, each paired with a name, and during retrieval, only names were presented, and participants retrieved the associated facial expressions. Successful memory activity of face-name associations was identified by comparing remembered vs. forgotten trials during both encoding and retrieval, and the effect of a smile was identified by comparing successful memory trials for smiling vs. neutral faces. The study yielded three main findings. First, behavioral results showed that the retrieval of face-name associations was more accurate and faster for smiling than neutral faces. Second, the orbitofrontal cortex and the hippocampus showed successful encoding and retrieval activations, which were greater for smiling than neutral faces. Third, functional connectivity between the orbitofrontal cortex and the hippocampus during successful encoding and retrieval was stronger for smiling than neutral faces. As a part of the reward system, the orbitofrontal cortex may modulate memory processes of face-name associations mediated by the hippocampus. Interestingly, the effect of a smile during retrieval was found even though only names were presented as retrieval cues, suggesting that the effect was mediated by face imagery. Taken together, the results demonstrate how rewarding social signals from a smiling face can enhance relational memory for face-name associations.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2008.03.013

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  • Positive social stimuli act as natural rewards, and in humans positive social signs such as smiling faces activate reward circuitry.

    “Positive social stimuli act as a natural reward; rodents demonstrate conditioned preferences for places previously paired with a social partner (Douglas et al. 2004; Thiele et al. 2008), and in humans, positive social signs such as smiling faces activate reward circuitry (Tsukiura and Cabeza 2008).”

    From Effects of MDMA on sociability and neural response to social threat and social reward (2009) · cites this paper as Tsukiura and Cabeza 2008

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Authors
Tsukiura, T., & Cabeza, R.
Affiliations
Duke University (US)
Corresponding author
Tsukiura, Takashi
Venue
Neuropsychologia
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2008-07
Volume
46
Issue
9
Pages
2310-2319
ISSN
0028-3932 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1976784355
Cited by
90
References
90
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 7
FWCI
2.76
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuropsychologia (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute on Aging (AG23770, R01AG023770, R56AG023770)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (P01NS041328, NS41328)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Face Recognition and Perception
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
Keywords
face-name association, relational memory, smiling faces, reward, orbitofrontal cortex, hippocampus, functional connectivity, memory encoding, memory retrieval, social signals, facial expressions
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Association, Association Learning, Facial Expression, Female, Frontal Lobe, Hippocampus, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Memory, Names, Reward, Smiling, Task Performance and Analysis, Visual Perception, Recognition, Psychology

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