Cerebral correlates of explicit sequence learning.
Using positron emission tomography (PET) and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) measurements, we investigated the cerebral correlates of consciousness in a sequence learning task through a novel application of the Process Dissociation Procedure, a behavioral paradigm that makes it possible to separately assess conscious and unconscious contributions to performance. Results show that the metabolic response in the anterior cingulate/mesial prefrontal cortex (ACC/MPFC) is exclusively and specifically correlated with the explicit component of performance during recollection of a learned sequence. This suggests a significant role for the ACC/MPFC in the explicit processing of sequential material.
Destrebecqz
Arnaud
A
Cognitive Science Research Unit, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium. adestre@ulb.ac.be
Peigneux
Philippe
P
Laureys
Steven
S
Degueldre
Christian
C
Del Fiore
Guy
G
Aerts
Joël
J
Luxen
André
A
van der Linden
Martial
M
Cleeremans
Axel
A
Maquet
Pierre
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed