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Science 18 July 2003:
Vol. 301. no. 5631, pp. 384 - 386
DOI: 10.1126/science.1086025
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Reports

Lateralized Cognitive Processes and Lateralized Task Control in the Human Brain

Klaas E. Stephan,1,2,3 John C. Marshall,4 Karl J. Friston,3 James B. Rowe,3 Afra Ritzl,1,2 Karl Zilles,1,5 Gereon R. Fink1,2*

The principles underlying human hemispheric specialization are poorly understood. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging of letter and visuospatial decision tasks with identical word stimuli to address two unresolved problems. First, hemispheric specialization depended on the nature of the task rather than on the nature of the stimulus. Second, analysis of frontal candidate regions for cognitive control showed increased coupling between left anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and left inferior frontal gyrus during letter decisions, whereas right ACC showed enhanced coupling with right parietal areas during visuospatial decisions. Cognitive control is thus localized in the same hemisphere as task execution.

1 Institute of Medicine (IME), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany. 2 Department of Neurology, University of Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany. 3 The Wellcome Department of Imaging Neuroscience and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London, 12 Queen Square, WC1N 3BG, London, UK. 4 Neuropsychology Unit, University Department of Clinical Neurology, Radcliffe Infirmary, OX2 6HE, Oxford, UK. 5 C.& O.Vogt Brain Research Institute, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: g.fink{at}fz-juelich.de

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