Authors:

KELLENBACH, M.L., BRETT, M., & PATTERSON, K.

Reference:

Year of publication:

2003

CBU number:

5332

Abstract:

PET was used to investigate the neural correlates of actionknowledge in object representations, particularly the leftlateralized network of activations previously implicated in theprocessing of tools and their associated actions: ventralpremotor cortex (VPMCx), posterior middle temporal gyrus(PMTG), and intraparietal sulcus (IPS). Judgments were madeabout the actions and functions associated with manipulableman-made objects (e.g., hammer); this enabled us to measureactivations in response to both explicit and implicit retrieval ofknowledge about actions associated with manipulable tools.Function judgments were also made about nonmanipulableartifacts (e.g., traffic light) providing a direct comparison formanipulable objects. Although neither the left VPMCx nor theleft PMTG were selective for tool stimuli (nonmanipulableobjects also activated these areas relative to a visual controlcondition), both regions responded more strongly to manipulableobjects, suggesting a role for these cortical areas in theprocessing of knowledge associated with tools. Furthermore,these activations were insensitive to retrieval task, suggestingthat visually presented tools automatically recruit both leftVPMCx and left PMTG in response to action features that areinherent in tool representations. In contrast, the IPS showedclear selectivity for explicit retrieval of action information aboutmanipulable objects. No regions of cortex were more activatedby function relative to action judgments about artifacts. Theseresults are consistent with the brain's preferential responsivenessto how we interact with objects, rather than what theyare used for.