Cerebral activation patterns in an arithmetic and a visuospatial processing task

Abstract

Evoked potentials (EPs) to a probe tone stimulus were recorded simultaneously at the temporal and parietal areas of the left and right hemisphere of dextral adults engaged in either an arithmetic or a visuospatial task. The probe EP amplitude was attenuated in the left temporal area during the arithmetic task and in the left temporal and both parietal areas, but significantly more in the right, during the visuospatial task, indicating distinct patterns of regional cerebral engagement for the two types of cognitive activity.