How the brain learns to see objects and faces in an impoverished context

Article Abstract:

Degraded images of objects or faces appear meaningless at first, but are easily recognizable after an original version of the image is viewed. The neural mechanisms responsible for speeding up the learning process are ill understood but it is thought that it involves several visual and spatial systems. A new study uses functional neuroimaging to discover the areas of the brain involved in such rapid perceptual learning. It is suggested that direct interactions between areas involved in feature binding, spatial attention, face recognition and memory recall are implicated in perceptual learning.

Author: Booth, M., Dolan, R.J., Friston, K.J., Frackowiak, R.S.J., Holmes, A., Fink, G.R., Rolls, E.
Perceptual learning, Brain stimulation

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Functional anatomy of a common semantic system for words and pictures

Article Abstract:

Positron-emission tomography of the functional anatomy of semantic word/picture processing reveals the role of semantic tasks in providing a distributed semantic processing that is shared by words and pictures. A few areas are differentially active for either words or pictures. Analysis of contrasted activity during semantic/baseline tasks shows modality-specific activations in the left inferior parietal lobule for words and in the right middle occipital gyrus for pictures. Significantly, these modality-specific tasks are unrelated to semantic processing.

Author: Frackowiak, R.S.J., Vandenberghe, R., Price, C., Wise, R., Josephs, O.
Analysis, Image processing, Semantics

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A functional neuroanatomy of hallucinations in schizophrenia

Article Abstract:

The association of a deep brain activity with the classical auditory verbal hallucination exists in the schizophrenic patients. Positron emission tomography is useful to identify these brain states. The deep brain activities take place in the subcortical nuclei, paralimbic and limbic regions. An nonaddict patient with visual and auditory hallucinations exhibits activity in the visual and auditory associated cortices.

Author: Frackowiak, R.S.J., Jones, T., Silbersweig, D.A., Stern, E., Frith, C., Cahill, C., Holmes, A., Grootoonk, Sylke, Seaward, J., McKenna, P., Chua, S.E., Schnorr, L.
Psychotherapy patients, Schizophrenia, Hallucinations and illusions, Hallucinations

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Subjects list: Research, Usage, Observations, PET imaging, Positron emission tomography
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