Neural systems supporting timing and chronometric counting: an FMRI study. Brain Res Cogn Brain Res 2004 Oct;21(2):183-92
Date
10/07/2004Pubmed ID
15464350DOI
10.1016/j.cogbrainres.2004.04.009Scopus ID
2-s2.0-4644251674 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 77 CitationsAbstract
At least two strategies are available to humans for estimating multisecond intervals. One depends on an interval timing system that is common to many species. The other is the language-based strategy of chronometric counting. These two strategies are easily distinguished by the psychophysical properties of their behavioral correlates: counting supports substantially more precise estimates than are possible using the more general interval timing system. The present study investigates the neural systems that underlie the execution of these different strategies. Eighteen adults reproduced a 16-s interval either by internally timing or covertly counting the duration. Comparison of counting and timing to a resting baseline suggested that these strategies engage some nonoverlapping neural systems. Counting, but not timing, strongly activated Broca's area, primary motor cortex in the mouth region, and right cerebellum, all of which are associated with internal speech. Counting also activated parts of the medial premotor circuit, including the putamen, supplementary motor area (SMA) proper, and cingulate motor area (CMA), that have been associated with reproducing isochronous and syncopated rhythms of elements lasting hundreds of milliseconds. During timing, only a portion of this circuit, the SMA proper and CMA, was engaged. Both timing and counting interfered with semantic processing during the resting state, evidenced by task-related decreases in the left inferior and middle frontal gyri, right superior frontal gyrus, left angular gyrus, and bilateral posterior cingulate cortex. This study suggests that counting activates a corticostriatal network associated with millisecond, rhythmic timing. In contrast, timing long durations without the benefit of linguistic strategies for subdividing counts reduces activity in this circuitry.
Author List
Hinton SC, Harrington DL, Binder JR, Durgerian S, Rao SMAuthor
Jeffrey R. Binder MD Professor in the Neurology department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultAnalysis of Variance
Brain
Brain Mapping
Female
Functional Laterality
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Mathematics
Middle Aged
Oxygen
Time Factors
Time Perception
