Comparative Study on Digital Memory Span Task and Digital Working Memory Taskwith Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging / 实用放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To compare the characteristics and differences of the activation of the brain regions between the digital memory span task and digital working memory task.Methods 12 right-handed volunteers participated in a test of 7-digit memory span and a test of 2-digit working memory respectively, while the functional MR imaging (fMRI) data were recorded by a Seimens 1.5 T MR machine. Two control tasks were performed respectively and stimulation paradigms was block-design. SPM 99 was used to analyze the data and to localize the activated brain regions.Results The Brodmann area (BA) 6, 9 and 47 regions in the frontal lobe, the BA 7 and 40 regions in the parietal lobe, the cingulate gyrus, the hippocampus structures, the striatum and the cerebellum were activated by both tasks in comparison to their control tasks. Bilateral BA 18 and 19 regions of the occipital lobe without hemisphere predominance were the most activated regions by the digital memory span task, and the BA 37 region of the temporal lobe was also activated. However, the frontal lobe with left predominance was the most activated region by the digital working memory.Conclusion Different brain regions play distinct roles in different short-term digital memory tasks, and might be involved in different stages. The fMRI is a good tool for exploring the process of digits in the brain.