Prefrontal contributions to delayed spatial and object alternation: a positron emission tomography study.

Full Abstract

Delayed alternation tasks are frequently used as probes of frontal lobe functioning. To clarify the neural substrates of delayed alternation performance in humans, the authors measured regional cerebral blood flow with H2(15)O positron emission tomography in healthy subjects as they performed delayed spatial and object alternation. Consistent with the monkey lesion literature, increased dorsolateral prefrontal activity emerged during delayed spatial alternation but not delayed object alternation, whereas orbitofrontal activations emerged in both alternation tasks. The possible cognitive processes contributing to the orbitofrontal and dorsolateral prefrontal involvement in delayed alternation are discussed. Additional activations localized to several nonfrontal regions suggest caution in interpreting alternation deficits in patients as strictly reflecting frontal lobe impairment.

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Author information

Author/s: Zald, David H (DH); Curtis, Clayton (C); Folley, Bradley S (BS); Pardo, José V (JV);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, USA.

Journal and publication information

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

Journal: Neuropsychology (Neuropsychology), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Apr; vol 16 (issue 2) : pp 182-9

Dates: Created 2002/04/12; Completed 2002/10/29; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 11949710, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Female
Form Perception - physiology
Functional Laterality - physiology
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted

Male
Oxygen Radioisotopes - diagnostic use
Photic Stimulation
Prefrontal Cortex - physiology; radionuclide imaging
Space Perception - physiology
Tomography, Emission-Computed

Associated Chemicals: Oxygen Radioisotopes (0)

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