Visuo-spatial attentional tasks with simple stimuli during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning.

During the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) protocol, the subject will perform the attentional task while whole-brain activity will be recorded using Echo Planar Imaging (EPI) that measures the Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) signal (2x2x2 isotropic voxels, Echo Time (ET) = 30 ms, Repetition Time (RT) = 2.5 sec). The functional session will be subdivided into several parts ("Runs", duration: 10-15 min). Together with the functional data, the protocol will include a structural scan (T1 weighted, 1x1x1 mm voxels; duration 5-7 min) and a field mapping sequence (duration: 1 min).

After spatial pre-processing of individual series of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans, normalization and smoothing as suggested for Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) analysis, the different attentional conditions will be modeled and convolved with canonical Hemodynamic Response Function (HRF). The model will be estimated according to the algorithm of SPM. Using a Region of Interest (ROI) approach, the investigator will extract the signal in dorsal parietal regions representing the four visual quadrants, and will compare activity as a function of the attended / most relevant location. The main hypothesis will be confirmed by activation of the ROI corresponding to the currently attended location, irrespective of the nature of the signal guiding attention (i.e. common effects in Exp 1-3).

The investigator will search for relations between changes over time of the most relevant location (trial history) and the re-organization of attentional representations by investigating the activity and connectivity of the ventral parietal cortex. For this, the investigator will model events corresponding to changes in attention location and test for local activation of the ventral parietal cortex, as well as changes in connectivity (correlation) between ventral and dorsal parietal regions. The secondary hypothesis will be confirmed by increased activation in ventral parietal cortex, plus increased connectivity between ventral and dorsal parietal regions, at the time of a change of the most relevant location, irrespective of the nature of the signal guiding attention (i.e. common effects in Exp 1-3).