Cortical glucose metabolic rate correlates of abstract reasoning and attention studied with positron emission tomography

Richard J. Haier, Benjamin V. Siegel, Keith H. Nuechterlein, Erin Hazlett, Joseph C. Wu, Joanne Paek, Heather L. Browning, Monte S. Buchsbaum

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

527 Scopus citations

Abstract

Three groups of young, healthy males underwent positron emission tomography of the head, using 18fluoro-2-deoxyglucose as the uptake tracer. During the uptake, one group (n = 8) did an abstract reasoning test (Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices [RAPM]); another (n = 13) performed a visual vigilance task (Continuous Performance Test [CPT] task); and the other (n = 9) simply watched flashing visual stimuli (CPT no task). ANOVA revealed that both the RAPM and the CPT groups activated the right hemisphere. A priori and exploratory t-tests indicated some left-hemisphere areas of activation for the RAPM, especially posterior cortex. Performance on the RAPM showed significant negative correlations with cortical metabolic rates. CPT performace showed few significant correlations with cortical metabolic rate. Although this study does not strongly implicate any one brain region in performance of the RAPM or CPT task, the inverse glucose/RAPM performance correlations suggest that some individual differences in cognitive ability may be related to efficiency or density of neutral circuits.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)199-217
Number of pages19
JournalIntelligence
Volume12
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1988
Externally publishedYes

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