Abstract
Timing is crucial to many aspects of human performance. To better
understand its neural underpinnings, we used event-related fMRI to
examine the time course of activation associated with different components
of a time perception task. We distinguished systems associated with
encoding time intervals from those related to comparing intervals
and implementing a response. Activation in the basal ganglia occurred
early, and was uniquely associated with encoding time intervals,
whereas cerebellar activation unfolded late, suggesting an involvement
in processes other than explicit timing. Early cortical activation
associated with encoding of time intervals was observed in the right
inferior parietal cortex and bilateral premotor cortex, implicating
these systems in attention and temporary maintenance of intervals.
Late activation in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex emerged
during comparison of time intervals. Our results illustrate a dynamic
network of cortical-subcortical activation associated with different
components of temporal information processing.
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