Title
Distinct neural substrates for the perception of real and virtual visual worlds.
Abstract
Virtual environments have been frequently used for training and skill improvement. However, do real and virtual worlds engage the same brain states in human perceivers? We measured brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while adults watched movie and cartoon clips, simulating real and virtual visual worlds, respectively. Relative to baselines using random static images, the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and the cerebellum were activated only by movie clips of other humans. In contrast, cartoon clips of human and non-human agents activated the superior parietal lobes, while movie clips of animals also activated the superior parietal lobes. Our fMRI findings suggest that the perception of real-world humans is characterised by the involvement of MPFC and the cerebellum, most likely for on-line representation of the mental states of others, whereas the perception of virtual-world agents engages the parietal cortex in attention to actions.
Year
DOI
Venue
2005
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2004.09.046
NeuroImage
Keywords
DocType
Volume
fMRI,Neural substrates,Real world,Virtual visual worlds
Journal
24
Issue
ISSN
Citations 
3
1053-8119
17
PageRank 
References 
Authors
1.43
3
5
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Shihui Han113218.96
Yi Jiang2283.99
Glyn W Humphreys3171.43
Tiangang Zhou4171.43
Peng Cai5171.76