A study on spatial working memory in human brain by functional magnetic resonance imaging technique

Objective To explore the activation of brain regions in healthy volunteers during spatial working memory task using fMRI technique.Methods Ten right-handed healthy volunteers participated in a test of spatial working memory task and the fMRI data were recorded.A control task was performed for the block-design.SPM 99 was used to analyze the data and obtain the activated brain regions.Results Both cortex and subcortical structures were activated.The brain cortex areas including the bilateral parietal lobes(BA7/40),the bilateral frontal lobes(BA6/9/47),and the bilateral occipitotemporal lobes(BA19/37) were activated during the task.The subcortical structures including the right caudate,left thalamus and left substania nigra were activated during the task.The bilateral cerebellums were also prominently activated(P0.001).Conclusions In human brain,the information of spatial working memory is manipulated by the collaborative activity among the subcortical structures of the cerebrum and cerebellum as well as cortex of the cerebrum.