Intermodal sensory image generation: An fMRI analysis |
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Authors: | Marta Olivetti Belardinelli Rosalia Di Matteo Cosimo Del Gratta Andrea De Nicola Antonio Ferretti Armando Tartaro |
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Institution: | 1. ECONA and Department of Psychology, University of Rome“La Sapienza”, Italy;2. Department of Clinical Sciences and Bio‐images, University of Chieti “G. D'Annunzio”, Italy;3. Department of Clinical Sciences and Bio‐images and Institute of Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University of Chieti “G. D'Annunzio”, and National Institute for the Physics of Matter, Research Unit of L'Aquila, Italy;4. Institute of Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University of Chieti “G. D'Annunzio” and National Institute for the Physics of Matter, Research Unit of L'Aquila, Italy;5. Department of Clinical Sciences and Bio‐images and Institute of Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University of Chieti “G. D'Annunzio”, Italy |
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Abstract: | Although both imagery and perception may be related to more than one sensory input, and information coming from different sensory channels is often integrated in a unique mental representation, most recent neuroimaging literature has focused on visual imaging. Contrasting results have been obtained concerning the sharing of the same mechanisms by visual perception and visual imagery, in part due to assessment techniques and to interindividual variability in brain activation. In recent years, an increasing number of researchers have adopted novel neuroimaging techniques in order to investigate intermodal connections in mental imagery and have reported a high degree of interaction between mental imagery and other cognitive functions. In the present study the specific nature of mental imagery was investigated by means of fMRI on a more extensive set of perceptual experiences (shapes, sounds, touches, odours, flavours, self‐perceived movements, and internal sensations). Results show that the left middle‐inferior temporal area is recruited by mental imagery for all modalities investigated and not only for the visual one, while parietal and prefrontal areas exhibit a more heterogeneous pattern of activation across modalities. The prominent left lateralisation observed for almost all the conditions suggests that verbal cues affect the processes underlying the generation of images. |
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