[Joint PET and electrophysiological research on human thinking activity]

Recent studies of a group of researchers from the Institute of Human Brain (St.-Petersburg), concerning the role of the distributed brain systems in different kinds of perceptual and cognitive acts, are reviewed in this paper. Principally different approaches were used, i. e., electrophysiological (multi-unit record with implanted electrodes) and positron emission tomography (PET). Possibility and benefit of application of the combined analysis of these different sets of data in order to obtain more detailed information on the work of the brain systems are discussed. On the basis of some examples of such a combined analysis the authors conclude that such a combined approach is the optimal way to reach a deeper insight into the anatomical-functional organization of the human brain.