Comparison Between a Real Sequential Finger and Imagery Movements: An fMRI Study Revisited

Recently, much discussion has been centered on the brain networks of recall, memory, and execution. This study utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging to compare activation between a simple sequential finger movement (real task) and recalling the same task (imagery task) in 15 right-handed normal subjects. The results demonstrated a greater activation in the contralateral motor and somatosensory cortex during the real task, and a higher activation in the contralateral inferior frontal cortex, ipsilateral motor, somatosensory cortex, and midbrain during the imagery task. These real task-specific areas and imagery-specific areas, including the ipsilateral motor and somatosensory cortex, are consistent with recent studies. However, this is the first report to demonstrate that the imagery-specific regions involve the ipsilateral inferior frontal cortex and midbrain. Directly comparing the activation between real and imagery tasks demonstrated the inferior frontal cortex and midbrain to therefore play important roles in cognitive feedback.