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A functional MRI study of mental image generation

M D'Esposito1, J A Detre, G K Aguirre

  • 1Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 19104, USA. despo@mail.med.upenn.edu

Neuropsychologia
|May 1, 1997
PubMed
Summary

Generating visual mental images engages visual association cortex, not primary visual cortex. This brain function is primarily localized to the left hemisphere, specifically the left inferior temporal lobe.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Neuroimaging

Background:

  • Mental imagery is a complex cognitive process.
  • Understanding the neural basis of visual mental imagery is crucial for cognitive neuroscience.
  • Previous research has debated the involvement of specific visual brain regions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the neural substrates of visual mental image generation.
  • To determine if mental imagery engages modality-specific visual areas, including primary visual cortex.
  • To examine the hemispheric lateralization of mental image generation.

Main Methods:

  • Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed.
  • Participants performed a visual mental imagery task versus a control listening task.

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  • Direct comparison of regional brain activity between conditions was conducted.

    • Main Results:

    • Visual association cortex, not primary visual cortex, showed activation during mental imagery.
    • The left inferior temporal lobe (Brodmann's area 37) was consistently activated.
    • Activation extended into the occipital association cortex (area 19).

    Conclusions:

    • Visual mental imagery is a function of visual association cortex.
    • Mental image generation is asymmetrically localized to the left hemisphere.
    • The findings support a specific neural network for visual imagery.