The neural substrates of driving at a safe distance: a functional MRI study

An important driving skill is the ability to maintain a safe distance from a preceding car. To determine the neural substrates of this skill we performed functional magnetic resonance imaging of simulated driving in 21 subjects. Subjects used a joystick to adjust their own driving speed in order to maintain a constant distance from a preceding car traveling at varying speeds. The task activated multiple brain regions. Activation of the cerebellum may reflect visual feedback during smooth tracking of the preceding car. Co-activation of the basal ganglia, thalamus and premotor cortex is related to movement selection. Activation of a premotor-parietal network is related to visuo-motor coordination. Task performance was negatively correlated with anterior cingulate activity, consistent with the role of this region in error detection and response selection. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.