We studied the performance and cortical activation patterns during a mental rotation task (Shepard & Metzler, 1971) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMlU) at high field (4 Tesla). Twenty-four human subjects were imaged (fMRI group), whereas six additional subjects performed the task without being imaged (control group). All subjects were shown pairs of perspective drawings of 31, objects and asked to judge whether they were the same or mirror images. The measures of performance examined included (1) the percentage of errors, (2) the speed of performance, calculated as the inverse of the average response time, and (3) the rate of rotation for those object pairs correctly identified as "same." We found the following: (1) Subjects in the fMRI group performed well outside and inside the magnet, and, in the latter case, before and during data acquisition. Moreover, performance over time improved in the same manner as in the control group. These findings indicate that exposure to high magnetic fields does not impair performance in mental rotation. (2) Functional activation data were analyzed from 16 subjects of the fMRI goup. Several cortical areas were activated during task performance. The relations between the measures of performance above and the magnitude of activation of specific cortical areas were investigated by anatomically demarcating these areas of interest and calculating a normalized activation for each one of them. (3) We used the multivariate technique of hierarchical tree modeling to determine functional clustering among areas of interest and performance measures. Two main branches were distinguished: One comprised areas in the right hemisphere and the extrastriate and superior parietal lobules bilaterally, whereas the other comprised areas of the left hemisphere and the frontal pole bilaterally; all three performance measures above clustered with the former branch. Specifically, performance outcome ("percentage of errors") clustered with the parieto-occipital subcluster, whereas both the speed of performance and the rate of mental rotation clustered with the right precentral gyms. We conclude that the mental rotation paradigm used involves the cooperative interaction of functional groups of cortical areas of which some are probably more specifically associated with performance, whereas others may serve a more general function within the task constraints.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/jocn.1997.9.4.419 | DOI Listing |
Acad Psychiatry
January 2025
Psychiatric Research Unit, Mental Health Service Region Zealand, Slagelse, Denmark.
Objective: This study evaluated the impact of adding authentic patient video training to a base e-module featuring simulated patient videos, aimed at improving the mental status examination (MSE) skills of fifth-year medical students during their psychiatric rotation.
Methods: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted with 290 students, assigned to either an experimental group, the full e-learning group (Full), or an active comparator group, the limited e-learning group (Limited). The Limited group received a base e-module on MSE, while the Full group received both the base e-module and an additional module with 23 authentic patient videos.
Am J Med
January 2025
Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Departments of Medicine and Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
We examined data from 17,498 physicians-in-training who reported on 92,662 months of work over a 20 year study interval that included three major revisions to work hour limits. Extended duration shifts (≥24 hours; EDS) are much less common than they used to be. On average, first-year resident physicians (PGY1s) currently work a total of 4 EDS per year and 3 EDS per month during months in which any EDS are worked.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJSES Int
November 2024
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Background: The purpose of this study is to report outcomes of an arthroscopic knotless double-row (DR) rotator cuff repair (RCR) technique at 2- and 5- years postoperatively, and to compare clinical outcomes in patients undergoing knotless DR RCR with incorporated lateral row biceps tenodesis (LRT) vs. those without LRT.
Methods: All primary RCR surgeries were performed by a single surgeon at a single institution using a knotless transosseous equivalent (TOE) technique.
Chronobiol Int
January 2025
Research Center for Overwork-Related Disorders, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Kawasaki, Japan.
In modern society, many workers struggle with sleep deprivation due to their work schedules and excessive workloads. Accurate self-awareness and self-monitoring abilities are crucial for workers to adopt risk-coping strategies and protective behaviors when fatigued. The current study examined the relationship between chronotypes and self-monitoring performance during 24 h of sleep deprivation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPsychon Bull Rev
January 2025
Department of Education and Psychology, The Open University, 1 University Road, P.O. Box 808, 4353701, Ra'anana, Israel.
Visual perspective taking often involves transitioning between perspectives, yet the cognitive mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. The current study draws on insights from task- and language-switching research to address this gap. In Experiment 1, 79 participants judged the perspective of an avatar positioned in various locations, observing either the rectangular or the square side of a rectangular cube hanging from the ceiling.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!