• Animal cells and systems
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.319-328
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• 2004

Extrinsic connections between the cortex of the superior temporal sulcus (STS) and the ventral striatum in pigtail macaque monkeys (Macacca nemestrina) were studied by injection of retrograde tracers into the ventromedial caudate nucleus, the ventral and central shells of the nucleus accumbens (NA), the dorsal core of the NA, and the ventrolateral putamen. In the present study, we demonstrate that the projections from the unimodal (area TAa, IPa, TEa, and TEm) and the multimodal (area TPO and PGa) sensory association areas in the STS mainly terminate in the ventromedial caudate nucleus as well as in the ventral and central shells of the NA. However, there are only few projections to the dorsal core of the NA and the ventrolateral putamen from the sensory association cortex in the STS. Based on these differential neural connections between the subterritories of the ventral striatum and the sensory association areas, the ventromedial caudate nucleus and the shells of NA appear to be major integration sites for sensory input from the STS and functionally different from the dorsal core of NA and the ventrolateral putamen.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.65-74
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• 2019

Extant research has proposed that the Object-Spatial-Verbal cognitive style can elucidate individual differences in the preference for modality-specific information. However, no studies have yet ascertained whether this type of information processing evinces structural correlations in the brain. Therefore, the current study used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analyses to investigate individual differences in gray matter volumes based on the Object-Spatial-Verbal cognitive style. For this purpose, ninety healthy young adults were recruited to participate in the study. They were administered the Korean version of the Object-Spatial-Verbal cognitive style questionnaire, and their anatomical brain images were scanned. The VBM results demonstrated that the participants' verbal scores were positively correlated with regional gray matter volumes (rGMVs) in the right superior temporal sulcus/superior temporal gyrus, the bilateral parahippocampal gyrus/fusiform gyrus, and the left inferior temporal gyrus. In addition, the rGMVs in these regions were negatively correlated with the relative spatial preference scores obtained by individual participants. The findings of the investigation provide anatomical evidence that the verbal cognitive style could be decidedly relevant to higher-level language processing, but not to basic language processing.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.73-81
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• 2024

This study compared the cortical thickness of patients with mood disorders and a control group to assess structural abnormalities. A retrospective study was conducted from September 2020 to August 2022 at the Department of Psychiatry, P Hospital in Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do. The study included 44 individuals diagnosed with mood disorders and 59 healthy individuals without any pathological lesions. The 3D-T1 MPRAGE images obtained from magnetic resonance imaging examinations were utilized, and FreeSurfer software was employed to measure cortical thickness. Statistical analysis involved independent samples t-tests to measure the differences in means between the two groups, and Cohen's d test was used to compare the effect sizes of the differences. Furthermore, the correlation between the measured average cortical thickness and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale scores was analyzed. The research results revealed that patients with mood disorders exhibited decreased cortical thickness compared to the normal control group in both superior frontal regions, both rostral middle frontal regions, both caudal middle frontal regions, both pars opercularis, pars orbitals, pars triangularis regions, both superior temporal regions, both inferior temporal regions, both lateral orbitofrontal regions, both medial orbitofrontal regions, both fusiform regions, both posterior cingulate regions, both isthmus cingulate regions, both superior parietal regions, both inferior parietal regions, both supramarginal regions, left postcentral region, right bank of the superior temporal sulcus region, right middle temporal region, right rostral anterior cingulate region, and right insula region. Among them, regions that showed differences with effect sizes of 0.8 or higher were left fusiform (d=0.82), pars opercularis (d=0.94), superior frontal (d=0.88), right lateral orbitofrontal (d=0.85), and pars orbitalis (d=0.89). Additionally, there was a weak negative correlation between PANSS scores and average cortical thickness in both the left hemisphere (r=-0.234) and right hemisphere (r=-0.230). These findings are expected to be helpful in identifying areas of cortical thickness reduction in patients with mood disorders compared to healthy individuals and understanding the relationship between symptom severity and cortical thickness changes.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.517-551
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• 2012

We are imitating animals. True imitation can be defined as a learning to do an act from seeing it done by others. We have been building culture by imitating others' skills and knowledge with high fidelity. In this regard, it is important to ask how the faculty of imitation has evolved and how imitation behaviors develop ontogenetically. It is also interesting to see whether nonhuman animals can imitate truly or not and how different imitation learning is among human and non-human animals. In this paper, first I review empirical data from imitation studies with human and nonhuman animals. Comparing different species, I highlight their different levels of copying fidelity and explain the reason why they are showing the difference. Then I review recent studies on neurobiological mechanisms underlying imitation. The initial neurobiological studies on imitation in humans suggested a core imitation circuitry composed of mirror neuron system [inferior parietal lobule(IPL) and inferior frontal gyrus(IFG)] and the posterior part of the superior temporal sulcus(pSTS). More recent studies on the neurobiology of imitation, however, has gone beyond the studies on the core mechanisms. Finally, I try to find out implications of psychology and biology of imitation for cultural evolution. I argue for a memetic approach to cultural evolution, along the lines with a recent study on measuring memes by mirror neurons system.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 1995

A large lateral facial defects especially a through and through defect of the cheek remains as challenging field of reconstruction for the head and neck surgeons. Closure of these wounds is technically troublesome due to the magnitude and location of the soft tissue and skin defect, functional and aesthetic consideration. optimal cancer surveillance, and desire for good nourishment. Most traditional methods dealing with these defects, including split-thickness skin graft, local and regional flaps as well as musculocutaneous flaps have their limitations. We applied four different methods for these reconstruction in four cases. We utilized temporal muscle flap, forearm free flap and secondary healing for repair of mucosal defects, and medial base cervicopectoral flap, pectoralis major myocutaneous flap and cervicofacial flap for the reconstruction of external skin defects. In one case, both sides were reconstructed with single forearm free flap. In our experiences, secondary healing could be one of the useful method for mucosal repair in the defect between upper and lower gingivobuccal sulcus. However, forearm free flap was thought to be more ideal for the cases with mandibulectomy. For the external repair, the regional skin flap was considered to be superior to pectoralis major myocutaneous flap or forearm free flap especially on color matching.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.538-541
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• 2011

Objective : We evaluated a modified trans-middle temporal gyrus (MTG) approach with good postoperative visual preservation for patients with trigonal tumors. Methods : Three patients with a trigonal tumor were treated via the modified trans-MTG approach guided by a neuro-navigator. Modified trans-MTG approach involve the incision at the MTG within 5 mm to the superior temporal sulcus. This approach makes a proper trajectory to the trigone but also reduces the retraction injury of MTG as little as possible to prevent postoperative visual field defect. Preoperative and postoperative visual field examination using perimetry was performed to evaluate the visual field. Results : Three patients underwent surgery for lymphoma in the right trigone, meningioma in the left trigone, and focal enhancing nodule in the right paratrigonal area, respectively. In case of lymphoma, preoperative examination showed a left homonymous hemianopsia : one week later after surgery, a visual field examination was performed and revealed improvement of the visual field defect. In case of the meningioma, the preoperative examination showed no visual field defect : one month later, the visual field had no defect. In case of the enhancing nodule, preoperative visual field testing revealed a partial left homonymous hemianopsia. Visual examination within one month after surgery showed no visual field defect. All three patients treated with the modified trans-MTG approach showed no visual deterioration after surgery. Conclusion : The modified trans-MTG approach provides a safe and useful technique for trigonal tumors without postoperative visual field deterioration and affords adequate exposure of the trigonal tumor with a short trajectory.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.121-127
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• 2012

Objectives : The multimodal telepresence systems have been adopted in a variety of applications, such as telemedicine, space or underwater teleoperation and videoconference. Multimedia, one of the telepresence systems, has been used in various fields including entertainment, education and communication. The degree of subjective telepresence is defined as the probability that a person perceives to be physically in the remote place when he/she experiences a multisensory feedback from the multimedia. The current study aimed to explore the neural mechanism of telepresence related to multisensory feedback in patients with schizophrenia. Methods : Brain activity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging while fifteen healthy controls and fifteen patients with schizophrenia were experiencing filmed referential conversation at various distances (1 m, 5 m and 10 m). Correlations between the image contrast values and the telepresence scores were analyzed. Results : Subjective telepresence was not significantly different between the two groups. Some significant correlations of brain activities with the telepresence scores were found in the left postcentral gyrus, bilateral inferior frontal gyri, right fusiform gyrus, and left superior temporal sulcus. There were no main effects of group and distance. Conclusion : These results suggest that patients with schizophrenia experience telepresence as appropriately as healthy people do when exposed to multimedia. Therefore, patients with schizophrenia would have no difficulty in immersing themselves in multimedia which may be used in clinical training therapies.