Working memory of identification of emotional vocal expressions: An fMRI study

The distribution of brain activation during working memory processing of em otional vocal expressions was studied using functional magnetic resonance i maging (fMRI) in eight female subjects performing n-back tasks with three l oad levels (0-back, 1-back, and S-back tasks). The stimuli in the n-back ta sks were the Finnish female name [Saara] uttered in an astonished, angry, f rightened, commanding, and scornful mode, and the subjects were instructed to memorize the emotional connotation of the stimuli. Subregions in the pre frontal, parietal, and visual association areas were load-dependently activ ated during the performance of the n-back tasks. The most consistently acti vated areas in the prefrontal region were detected in the inferior frontal gyrus corresponding to Brodmann's areas (BAs) 44 and 45 and in the middle a nd superior frontal gyri (BAs 6/8), Activation was also found in the inferi or parietal lobe and intraparietal sulcus (BAs 40/7) and visual association areas including the lingual and fusiform gyri, The results suggest that a distributed neuronal network in occipital, parietal, and frontal areas is i nvolved in working memory processing of emotional content of aurally presen ted information. (C) 2001 Academic Press.