Cognitive set shifting using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and virtual reality (VR)
Subtitle: acomparison between a traditional and a novel ecologically-valid executive function task.
Published: 2004
Language: eng
Number of pages: 53
Description: This study sought to develop a task that would be both ecologically valid and a "pure" measure of set shifting ability (Office Courier Task; OCT) using virtual reality (VR) technology. A VR Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) was also developed to allow for a direct comparison to a traditional set shifting task. Twenty healthy participants (9 males) performed significantly better on the OCT than on the WCST (p &lt; .01) and performance on these tasks was not correlated. In an event-related fMRI study, 10 healthy, right-handed participants (5 males) completed these two tasks and the only brain area that was found to be similarly active in both tasks was the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC). The results indicated that performance on set shifting functions reflective of everyday tasks is not predictive of performance on abstract switching abilities but that both types of tasks are associated with activation in a common neuroanatomical region (VLPFC).
Notes: Adviser:  Konstantine Zakzanis.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toronto, 2004.

Electronic version licensed for access by U. of T. users.

Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 43-03, page: 0999.

MICR copy on microfiche (1 microfiche).