• Proceedings of the KSMRM Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.137-137
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• 2001

Purpose： The purpose of this study was to identify cerebral cortices related with sexual arousal fro visual sexual stimulation in healthy males using BOLD-based functional MR imaging Method： Sixteen male volunteers with sexually potent(mean age：24) were examined for thi study. Functional MRI was performed on a 1.5T MR scanner(GE Signa Horizon) with birdcage-type head coil. In this study, blood oxygenation level dependent(BOLD) technique was utilized to create fMR image reflecting local brain activities. The BOLD-based fMRI d were obtained from 7 oblique planes using gradient-echo EPI with $90^{\circ}$flip angle, 50ms TE 6000ms TR, $26cm{\times}26$ cm FOV, $128{\times}128$ matrix, and 10mm slice thickness. The sexual stimulation paradigm consisted of two alternating periods of rest and activati and it began with a 1 minute rest, followed by a 2 minute stimulation by a documentary a erotic video film. Brain activation maps were generated by cross-correlation of imag acquired during rest and activation periods. The index of activation was used to compare t number of pixels activated by each task in each volunteer, where the significance of th differences was evaluated by using Students t-test.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.101-125
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• 2005

We applied functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques to examine whether general intelligence (g) could be assessed using a neurobiological signal of the brain. Participants were students in a national science academy and several local high schools. They were administered diverse intelligence (RAPM and WAIS) and creativity tests (TTCT-figural and TTCT-verbal). Forty of them were scanned using fMRI while performing complex and simple g tasks. In brain regions of greater blood flow in complex compared with simple g tasks, the gifted group with an exceptional g level was not significantly different from the average group with an ordinary g level: both of them activated the lateral prefrontal, anterior cingulate, posterior parietal cortices. However, the activation levels of the gifted group were greater than those of the average group, particularly in the posterior parietal cortex. Correlation analysis showed that the activity of the posterior parietal cortex has the highest correlation ($(r=0.73{\sim}0.74)$) with individual g levels and other regions also have moderate correlation ($(r=0.53{\sim}0.66)$). On the other hand, two-sample t test showed a striking contrast in intelligence tests scores between the gifted and the average group, whereas it did not show in creativity tests scores. These results suggest that it is within the bounds of possibility that a neurobiological signal of the brain is used in the assessment of the gifted and also suggest that creativity has to be given a great deal of weight on the assessment of the gifted.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.32-41
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• 2005

Objective:Impaired processing of working memory is one of the cognitive deficits seen in patients with schizophrenia. This aimed at corroborating the differences in the brain activities involved in the process of working memory between patients with schizophrenia and the control subjects. Method:Fourteen patients with schizophrenia and 12 healthy volunteers were recruited in this study. Functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI) was used to assess cortical activities during the performance of a 2-back visual working memory paradigm using the Korean alphabet as mnemonic content. Results:Group analysis revealed that left lateral prefrontal cortex and right parietal lobule showed decreased cortical activities in the patient group. On the other hand, an increased activation in left superior and middle frontal gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus, right cuneus, both occipital lobes, right fusiform gyrus and right cingulate gyrus. The activation in left anterior lobe and both declive of cerebellum was also increased. Conclusions:This study showed a decreased activation in left lateral prefrontal and right parietal neural networks from the patient group and confirmed the earlier findings on the impaired working memory of patients with schizophrenia using fMRI investigation. The regions implicated in our study suggest an abnormal functioning of the fronto-parietal cortical areas that are critical to the information processing stream, which might be correspondent to common pathophysiology rather than a common etiology in schizophrenia.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 2005

A few studies have shown that the function of fusiform face area is selectively involved in the perception of faces including a race difference. We investigated the neural substrates of the face-selective region called fusiform face area in the ventral occipital-temporal cortex and same-race memory superiority in the fusiform face area by the event-related fMRI. In our fMRI study, subjects (Oriental-Korean) performed the implicit distinction of the race while they consciously made familiar-judgments, regardless of whether they considered a face as Oriental-Korean or European-American. For race distinction as an implicit task, the fusiform face areas (FFA) and the right parahippocampal gyrus had a greater response to the presentation of Oriental-Korean faces than for the European-American faces, but in the conscious race distinction between Oriental-Korean and European-American faces, there was no significant difference observed in the FFA. These results suggest that different activation in the fusiform regions and right parahippocampal gyrus resulting from superiority of same-race memory could have implicitly taken place by the physiological processes of face recognition.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.341-351
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• 2014

Purpose : In this study, the medication effects of Milnacipran and Pregabalin, as well known as fibromyalgia treatment medicine, in fibromyalgia syndrome patients were compared through the change of BOLD signal in pain related functional MRI. Materials and Methods: Twenty fibromyalgia syndrome patients were enrolled in this study and they were separated into two groups according to the treatment medicine: 10 Milnacipran (MLN) treatment group and 7 Pregabalin (PGB) treatment group. For accurate diagnosis, all patients underwent several clinical tests. Pre-treated and post-treated fMRI image with block-designed pressure-pain stimulation for each group were obtained to conduct the statistical analysis of paired t-test and two sample t-test. All statistical significant level was less than 0.05. Results: In clinical tests, the clinical scores of the two groups were not significantly different at pre-treatment stage. But, PGB treatment group had lower Widespread Pain Index (WPI) and Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) score than those of MLN treatment group at post-treatment stage. In functional image analysis, BOLD signal of PGB treatment group was higher BOLD signal at several regions including anterior cingulate and insula than MLN treatment group at post-treatment stage. Also, paired t-test values of the BOLD signal in MLN group decreased in several regions including insula and thalamus as known as 'pain network'. In contrast, size and number of regions in which the BOLD signal decreased in PGB treatment group were smaller than those of MLN treatment group. Conclusion: This study showed that MLN group and PGB group have different medication effects. It is not surprising that MLN and PGB have not the same therapeutic effects since these two drugs have different medicinal mechanisms such as antidepressants and anti-seizure medication, respectively, and different detailed target of fibromyalgia syndrome treatment. Therefore, it is difficult to say which medicine will work better in this study.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.637-648
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• 2013

The relationship between the cerebral cortex and human intelligence has been studied using various methods, and related brain areas involved in intellectual manifestation have been discovered individually. Such studies have also shown the cerebellum is closely involved in various cognitive functions such as language, memory, and information processing. However, studies showing an activity difference between the cerebral cortex and cerebellum when performing specific tasks are hard to find. This study searched and analyzed the active regions of the cerebral cortex and cerebellum seen while performing the inference of geometrical figures. A WAIS intelligence test was conducted using 81 healthy boys (16.3 years of age on average), and five categories were classified. While performing the inference of shapes, their brain images were taken using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). As a result, the activity in 12 brain regions was observed, including in the cerebral cortex, the bilateral inferior parietal, the visual cortex, bilateral superior parietal, frontal-Inf-Tri-R, and bilateral caudate, while activities in 5 discrete areas were seen in the cerebellum. In particular, the higher the intelligence (IQ) of the subject, the stronger their activity. Among those with the most superior intelligence, subjects with an IQ of 140-147 showed significantly higher activity compared to the other groups. Such results seem to represent a very high utilization of intelligence in a highly gifted group, and we can expect to use this to determine the super gifted.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.203-214
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate brain activation pattern and functional connectivity during convergence thinking based creative problem solving and chemistry problem solving to identify characteristic convergence thinking that is backbone of creative problem solving using functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI). A fMRI paradaigm inducing convergence thinking and chemistry problem solving was developed and adjusted on 17 highschool students, and brain activation image during task was analyzed. According to the results, superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus, cingulate gyrus, precuneus and caudate nucleus body in left hemisphere and cuneus and caudate nucleus body in right hemisphere were significantly activated during convergence thinking. The other hand, middle frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus and caudate nucleus in left hemisphere and middle frontal gyrus, lingual gyrus, caudate nucleus, thalamus and culmen of cerebellum in right hemisphere were significantly activated during chemistry problem solving. As results of analysis functional connectivity, all of areas activated during convergence thinking were functionaly connected, whereas scanty connectivity of chemistry problem solving between right middle frontal gyrus, bilateral nucleus caudate tail and culmen. The results show that logical thinking, working memory, planning, imaging, languge based thinking and learning motivation were induced during convergence thinking and these functions and regions were synchronized intimately. Whereas, logical thinking and inducing learning motivation functioning during chemistry problem solving were not synchronized. These results provide concrete information about convergence thinking.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2004

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to assess supplementary motor area (SMA) activation during motor, sensory, word generation, listening comprehension, and working memory tasks using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Materials and Methods : Sixteen healthy right-handed subjects (9M, 7F) were imaged on a Siemens 1.5T scanner. Whole brain functional maps were acquired using BOLD EPI sequences in the axial plane. Each paradigm consisted of five epochs of activation vs. the control condition. The activation tasks consisted of left finger complex movement, hot sensory stimulation of the left hand, word generation, listening comprehension, and working memory. The reference function was a boxcar waveform. Activation maps were thresholded at an uncorrected p=0.0001. The thresholded activation maps were placed into MNI space and the anatomic localization of activation within the SMA was compared across tasks. Results : SMA activation was observed in 16 volunteers for the motor task, 11 for the sensory task, 15 for the word generation task, 5 for the listening comprehension task, and 15 for the working memory task. The rostral aspects of the SMA showed activity during the word generation and working memory tasks, and the caudal aspects of the SMA showed activity during the motor and sensory tasks. Right (contralateral) SMA activation was observed during the motor and sensory tasks, and left SMA activation during the word generation and memory tasks. Conclusion : Our results suggest that SMA is involved in a variety of functional tasks including motor, sensory, word generation, and working memory. The results obtained also support the notion that functionally specific subregions exist within the region classically defined as the SMA.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.102-112
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• 2011

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of chronic exposure by welders to manganese (Mn) through an analysis of the degree of brain activity in different activities such as cognition and motor activities using the neuroimaging technique of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The neurotoxic effect that Mn has on the brain was examined as well as changes in the neuro-network in motor areas, and the usefulness of fMRI was evaluated as a tool to determine changes in brain function from occupational exposure to Mn. Methods: A survey was carried out from July 2010 to October 2010 targeting by means of a questionnaire 160 workers from the shipbuilding and other manufacturing industries. Among them, 14 welders with more than ten years of job-related exposure to Mn were recruited on a voluntary basis as an exposure group, and 13 workers from other manufacturing industries with corresponding gender and age were recruited as a control group. A questionnaire survey, a blood test, and an fMRI test were carried out with the study group as target. Results: Of 27 fMRI targets, blood Mn concentration of the exposure group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p<0.001), and Pallidal Index (PI) of the welder group was also significantly higher than that of the control group (p<0.001). As a result of the survey, the score of the exposure group in self-awareness of abnormal nerve symptoms and abnormal musculoskeletal symptoms was higher than those of the control group, and there was a significant difference between the two groups (p<0.05, respectively). In the correlation between PI and the results of blood tests, the correlation coefficient with blood Mn concentration was 0.893, revealing a significant amount of correlation (p<0.001). As for brain activity area within the control group, the right and the left areas of the superior frontal cortex showed significant activity, and the right area of superior parietal cortex, the left area of occipital cortex and cerebellum showed significant activity. Unlike the control group, the exposure group showed significant activity selectively on the right area of premotor cortex, at the center of supplementary motor area, and on the left side of superior temporal cortex. In the comparison of brain activity areas between the two groups, the exposure group showed a significantly higher activation state than did the control group in such areas as the right and the left superior parietal cortex, superior temporal cortex, and cerebellum including superior frontal cortex and the right area of premotor cortex. However, in nowhere did the control group show a more activated area than did the exposure group. Conclusions: Chronic exposure to Mn increased brain activity during implementation of hand motor tasks. In an identical task, activation increased in the premotor cortex, superior temporal cortex, and supplementary motor area. It was also discovered that brain activity increase in the frontal area and occipital area was more pronounced in the exposure group than in the control group. This result suggests that chronic exposure to Mn in the work environment affects brain activation neuro-networks.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.49-60
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• 2018

Trait anger is one of the psychological traits associated with experiences of anger. Individuals with high trait anger become angry easily at trivial events, and experience anger more frequently, intensely, and over a longer duration. This study aimed to investigate neural responses during experiences of anger, and identify the neural correlates of trait anger. Thirty five adults participated in the functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) experiment. They were scanned while they recalled an anger-inducing memory that was supposed to evoke an experience of anger. During the angry recall compared to the emotionally neutral recall, our participants showed greater neural activation in the right superior temporal gyrus (BA38), left inferior frontal gyrus (BA45), right thalamus, right insula (BA13), bilateral cuneus (BA17), and right cerebellum anterior lobe. The correlation analysis revealed that trait anger scores were positively associated with right insula activity during the angry recall. Individuals with higher trait anger were more likely to show greater activity in the right insula in response to past experiences of anger, as previously implicated in various studies of emotional processing. This finding suggests that trait anger may be an important factor in modulating anger-related brain activity.