The neural substrate of analogical reasoning: an fMRI study

Brain Res Cogn Brain Res. 2003 Oct;17(3):527-34. doi: 10.1016/s0926-6410(03)00167-8.

Abstract

This study investigated the anatomical substrate of analogical reasoning using functional magnetic resonance imaging. In the study, subjects performed a verbal analogy task (e.g., soldier is to army as drummer is to band) and, to control for activation caused by purely semantic access, a semantic judgment task. Significant activation differences between the verbal analogy and the semantic judgment task were found bilaterally in the prefrontal cortex (right BA 11/BA 47 and left BA45), the fusiform gyrus, and the basal ganglia; left lateralized in the postero-superior temporal gyrus (BA 22) and the (para) hippocampal region; and right lateralized in the anterior cingulate. The role of these areas in analogical reasoning is discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain / physiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Mental Processes / physiology*
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology
  • Reaction Time / physiology
  • Reading