A fundamental question in human memory is how the brain represents sensory-
specific information during the process of retrieval. One hypothesis is tha
t regions of sensory cortex are reactivated during retrieval of sensory-spe
cific information (1-3). Here we report findings from a study in which subj
ects learned a set of picture and sound items and were then given a recall
test during which they vividly remembered the items while imaged by using e
vent-related functional MRI, Regions of visual and auditory cortex were act
ivated differentially during retrieval of pictures and sounds, respectively
. Furthermore, the regions activated during the recall test comprised a sub
set of those activated during a separate perception task in which subjects
actually viewed pictures and heard sounds. Regions activated during the rec
all test were found to be represented more in late than in early visual and
auditory cortex. Therefore, results indicate that retrieval of vivid visua
l and auditory information can be associated with a reactivation of some of
the same sensory regions that were activated during perception of those it
ems.