title: Increased BOLD activation in the left parahippocampal cortex after 1 year of medical school: an association with cumulative verbal memory learning.
abstract: Although several studies have shown left-right hippocampus asymmetry during learning, it is unclear whether such asymmetry also exists for the parahippocampal cortex, a structure within the limbic system that is also involved in memory and learning. Using a common mental navigation task known to activate the bilateral parahippocampal cortex, this study aimed at determining how BOLD activation in these two areas changes after 1 year of medical school, a program characterized by intensive verbal learning. Fifteen first-year medical students participated in this study and underwent two sessions of functional MRI, at a 1-year interval. In the first session, we observed marginal differences between left and right parahippocampal cortex activity. However, 1 year later, left parahippocampal activation significantly increased (+4.7%), whereas the right remained stable. These results bring new information as to how intensive learning can modify regional metabolism in the human brain and how the left parahippocampal region is particularly important for cumulative verbal memory.
authors.affiliation: aClinical Research Center Departments of bDiagnostic Radiology cNuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Sherbrooke University Hospital Center (CHUS), Sherbrooke dDepartment of Psychology, Quebec University of Trois-Rivières (UQTR), Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada ePHELMA Grenoble National Polytechnique Institute (INP), Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Michaël
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bernier
authors.forename: Claudie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gauvreau
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Theriault
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Madrolle
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Lepage
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Whittingstall
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D012577:Schools, Medical; D065854:Spatial Navigation / Q000502:physiology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D013995:Time; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen