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Abstract:
Feedback integration is an essential part of learning. This
experiment uses an event-related fMRI paradigm to examine the areas
of brain activity associated with feedback. Participants learn to
associate visual patterns with button presses through varying types
of visual feedback. On a third of the trials participants are given
a no-feedback display (NF). On the other trials, participants
receive feedback in the form of either knowledge of results (KR),
the accuracy of the response, or specific feedback (SK), the
accuracy of the response plus the correctly associated response. A
3 X 4 ANOVA was performed on feedback type (NF, KR, SF) by image
acquisition time during trial (four time points). Significantly
active areas (p<.01) were found for the interaction of feedback
and acquisition, and these areas were used as a mask for further
post-hoc analysis. fMRI activity associated with the feedback event
(last half of the trial) showed areas with significant activation
(t-test, p<.01) for feedback (NF vs. KR & SF). The
significant areas include frontal activations (Area 44), as well as
occipital areas and motor areas known to be involved in skill
learning. Some areas also show a differentiable response to the two
types of feedback. These results indicate areas in the brain that
differentially process feedback.
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