Brain activation during mental maze solving.
BACKGROUND
So-called Porteus mazes are used to investigate prefrontal cortex (PFC) functioning in normal subjects and patients with different neuropsychiatric disorders. Here we present data confirming the involvement of the PFC for the first time by means of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). To minimize motor-related activation, mental mazes were used.


METHODS
Mazes as well as pseudo-mazes without any bifurcations were presented to 49 healthy participants during fMRI scans.


RESULTS
Both, mazes as well as pseudo-mazes, activated a large network from visual to parietal regions, reflecting the dorsal stream of visual information processing. Mazes but not pseudo-mazes also activated bilateral areas of the PFC indicating their special role in decision processes. In addition, although no motor response was required during maze performance, both tasks activated subcortical and cortical motor areas.


CONCLUSIONS
These tasks are suitable for investigating and specifying PFC functioning and its impairment in psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. In addition, mental mazes might be a suitable task for the investigation of patients with motor disturbances.
Kirsch
Peter
P
Centre for Psychiatry, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany. peter.kirsch@psychiat.med.uni-giessen.de
Lis
Stefanie
S
Esslinger
Christine
C
Gruppe
Harald
H
Danos
Peter
P
Broll
Jochen
J
Wiltink
Jorg
J
Gallhofer
Bernd
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood
D010100:Oxygen