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Encoding and retrieving faces and places: distinguishing process- and stimulus-specific differences in brain activity.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Prince, SE; Dennis, NA; Cabeza, R
Published in: Neuropsychologia
September 2009

Among the most fundamental issues in cognitive neuroscience is how the brain may be organized into process-specific and stimulus-specific regions. In the episodic memory domain, most functional neuroimaging studies have focused on the former dimension, typically investigating the neural correlates of various memory processes. Thus, there is little information about what role stimulus-specific brain regions play in successful memory processes. To address this issue, the present event-related fMRI study used a factorial design to focus on the role of stimulus-specific brain regions, such as the fusiform face area (FFA) and parahippocampal place area (PPA) in successful encoding and retrieval processes. Searching within regions sensitive to faces or places, we identified areas similarly involved in encoding and retrieval, as well as areas differentially involved in encoding or retrieval. Finally, we isolated regions associated with successful memory, regardless of stimulus and process type. There were three main findings. Within face sensitive regions, anterior medial PFC and right FFA displayed equivalent encoding and retrieval success processes whereas left FFA was associated with successful encoding rather than retrieval. Within place sensitive regions, left PPA displayed equivalent encoding and retrieval success processes whereas right PPA was associated with successful encoding rather than retrieval. Finally, medial temporal and prefrontal regions were associated with general memory success, regardless of stimulus or process type. Taken together, our results clarify the contribution of different brain regions to stimulus- and process-specific episodic memory mechanisms.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Neuropsychologia

DOI

EISSN

1873-3514

ISSN

0028-3932

Publication Date

September 2009

Volume

47

Issue

11

Start / End Page

2282 / 2289

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Space Perception
  • Reaction Time
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Pattern Recognition, Visual
  • Oxygen
  • Mental Recall
  • Male
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Prince, S. E., Dennis, N. A., & Cabeza, R. (2009). Encoding and retrieving faces and places: distinguishing process- and stimulus-specific differences in brain activity. Neuropsychologia, 47(11), 2282–2289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.01.021
Prince, Steven E., Nancy A. Dennis, and Roberto Cabeza. “Encoding and retrieving faces and places: distinguishing process- and stimulus-specific differences in brain activity.Neuropsychologia 47, no. 11 (September 2009): 2282–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.01.021.
Prince, Steven E., et al. “Encoding and retrieving faces and places: distinguishing process- and stimulus-specific differences in brain activity.Neuropsychologia, vol. 47, no. 11, Sept. 2009, pp. 2282–89. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.01.021.
Prince SE, Dennis NA, Cabeza R. Encoding and retrieving faces and places: distinguishing process- and stimulus-specific differences in brain activity. Neuropsychologia. 2009 Sep;47(11):2282–2289.
Journal cover image

Published In

Neuropsychologia

DOI

EISSN

1873-3514

ISSN

0028-3932

Publication Date

September 2009

Volume

47

Issue

11

Start / End Page

2282 / 2289

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Space Perception
  • Reaction Time
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Pattern Recognition, Visual
  • Oxygen
  • Mental Recall
  • Male
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted