Retrieval success is accompanied by enhanced activation in anterior prefrontal cortex during recognition memory: An event-related fMRI study

Neural regions associated with retrieval success were identified using even t-related fMRI procedures and randomly ordered trials on a recognition memo ry test. Differences between hits and correct rejections (CRs) occurred in multiple regions, including bilateral anterior and right dorsolateral prefr ontal cortex, bilateral inferior parietal cortex, and right superior pariet al cortex (all hits > CRs), and right occipital cortex (CRs > hits). The hi t > CR pattern is not compromised by time-on-task explanations because resp onse latencies for correctly rejected words exceeded those for hits. Conver ging evidence for the claim that the hit > CR pattern identified neural cor relates of retrieval success was obtained by unconfounding item history and retrieval success. That is, we implemented a third condition in which nons tudied words were presented, yet retrieval success was hypothesized to faci litate CRs of these lures. Specifically, when confronted with a familiar, y et nonstudied word, (e.g., nosedive after studying nosebleed and skydive), subjects might adopt a strategy whereby they recall the studied Nord(s) tha t gave rise to the familiarity (nosebleed, skydive) and thereby reject the lure. This method of instantiating retrieval success under conditions in wh ich the target word had not been studied offers converging evidence for the claim that anterior-prefrontal cortex (among other regions) demonstrates e nhanced activation during retrieval success.