title: Neural correlates of planning ability: frontal lobe activation during the Tower of London test.
abstract: Single-photon emission computerised tomography (SPECT) was used to investigate whether pre-frontal cerebral blood flow in normal adults is increased during planning activity. A subtraction technique was used in which regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured in subjects during a computerised version of the Tower of London task. Both rCBF and performance on this task were compared to a motor control condition requiring the same responses and using the same visual display. The level of rCBF was significantly increased in the left pre-frontal cortex during the Tower of London task. In addition, subjects who took more time planning their moves, and less moves to complete a problem had a significantly higher level of rCBF in the left pre-frontal cortex. Subsequent execution latencies for the task were correlated negatively with both left and right rCBF.
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London, U.K.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Syed
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Toone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001076:Aptitude / Q000502:physiology*; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*