Neural basis of mental scanning of a topographic representation built from a text.

Full Abstract

Humans have the ability to build and to inspect an internal visual image of an environment built from a verbal description. We used positron emission tomography (PET) to investigate the brain areas engaged in the mental scanning of a map that subjects built from the reading of a descriptive text. This task engaged a parieto-frontal network known to deal with spatial representations. Additional activations were evidenced in the angular gyrus and in Broca's and Wernicke's areas. In order to examine the neural impact of the learning modality, these PET results were compared to those obtained in another group of six subjects who performed a similar mental scanning task on a topographic representation built from visual inspection of a map. Both scanning tasks engaged the parieto-frontal network. However, the bilateral activation of the angular gyrus as well as the involvement of language areas appeared specific to the mental scanning of the topographic representation built from textual information. On the other hand, the right medial temporal lobe was activated only when a map had been visually learned. These results suggest that although both tasks involved visuo-spatial internal representation, a trace of the learning modality remained present in the brain.

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Author information

Author/s: Mellet, E (E); Bricogne, S (S); Crivello, F (F); Mazoyer, B (B); Denis, M (M); Tzourio-Mazoyer, N (N);

Affiliation: CNRS UMR 6995, Université de Caen and Université Paris V, BP 5227, 14074 Caen Cedex, France. mellet(-atsign-)cyceron.fr

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991) (Cereb Cortex), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Dec; vol 12 (issue 12) : pp 1322-30

Dates: Created 2002/11/12; Completed 2003/02/07; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 12427682, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Brain Mapping
Cerebral Cortex - physiology
Frontal Lobe - physiology
Humans
Imagination - physiology
Learning - physiology
Male

Male
Mental Processes - physiology
Parietal Lobe - physiology
Reading
Space Perception - physiology
Temporal Lobe - physiology
Tomography, Emission-Computed
Visual Perception - physiology

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