Shaping the physical world to our ends through the left PF technical-cognition area
- Laboratoire d’Étude des Mécanismes Cognitifs, Université de Lyon, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, France
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Suor Orsola Benincasa University, Italy
- CERMEP-Imagerie du vivant, MRI Department and CNRS UMS3453, France
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon (CRNL), Trajectoires Team (Inserm UMR_S 1028-CNRS-UMR 5292-Université de Lyon), France
- Mouvement et Handicap and Neuro-Immersion, Hospices Civils de Lyon et Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, Hôpital Henry Gabrielle, France
- Université Marie et Louis Pasteur, INSERM, UMR 1322 LINC, France
Figures
Figure 1 with 1 supplement
Experimental tasks.
(A) In the mechanical problem-solving task (Experiment 1), participants had to figure out for 4 s how to move a red cube trapped in a 3D glass box from its original location to a new target location. Then, two tools were presented for 3 s, and they had to decide which was the correct one to solve the mechanical problem. Before the scanning session, the participants were informed that five distinct tools could be used to solve the mechanical problems. (B) In the psychotechnical task (Experiment 2), two situations were displayed for 6 s. Participants had to select which of the two displayed situations was the correct one or the most effective one. (C) In the fluid-cognition task (Experiment 2), the participants had to select the line of options with the correct one. (D) In the mentalizing task (Experiment 2), the superior part of the board was shown for 6 s, for the participants to try to make sense of the cartoon first. Then the bottom part was presented for 4 additional seconds, with the top part remaining on display. The participants had to choose the cartoon with the probable ending to the story depicted in the three first drawings. In the PHYS-Only condition, the selection only needed to understand the physical context. In the INT + PHYS condition, the selection needed to understand both the physical context and the social context. Illustrations in (D) reproduced with permission from Birgit Völlm. No permission was needed for the pictures in (A) as we built this task. The items of the psychotechnical task (B) and the fluid-cognition task (C) are adapted from commercialized tests and do not correspond to the original items of these tests. For more information, see the Methods section.
Figure 1—figure supplement 1
Control conditions of the experimental tasks.
(A) In the mechanical problem-solving task (Experiment 1), participants scrutinized the 3D glass box for 4 s and then had 3 s to decide which of the two missing pieces presented was the correct one to fill the mask. (B) In the psychotechnical task (Experiment 2), two situations were displayed for 6 s. Participants had to select which of the two displayed situations contained a white square. (C) In the fluid-cognition task (Experiment 2), the participants had to select the line of options with the correct one. Contrary to the experimental condition, the control condition only required visual completion. (D) In the mentalizing task (Experiment 2), the superior part of the board was shown for 6 s. Then the bottom part was presented for 4 additional seconds, with the top part remaining on display. The participants had to select which cartoon was already present in the first three ones. Illustrations in (D) reproduced with permission from Birgit Völlm. No permission was needed for the pictures in (A) as we built this task. The items of the psychotechnical task (B) and the fluid-cognition task (C) are adapted from commercialized tests and do not correspond to the original items of these tests. For more information, see the Methods section.
Figure 2
Behavioural results.
The scores represent the percentage of correct responses. Boxplots indicate the upper quartile, median and lower quartile. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001.
Figure 3
Whole-brain univariate results.
The generalizability of the technical-reasoning network is supported by the activation of the left area PF in the mechanical problem-solving task (A), the psychotechnical task (B), and the PHYS-Only (D) and INT + PHYS (E) conditions of the mentalizing task. The conjunction analysis (G) also confirmed it. The specificity of the technical-reasoning network is also supported by the absence of activation of the left area PF in the fluid-cognition task (C) and in the contrast of the INT + PHYS condition to the PHYS-Only condition (F). In (B), IFG (op.) is indicated on the left hemisphere even if it is not visible on this view. Left, left hemisphere; right, right hemisphere; PF, parietal area F; IFG, inferior frontal gyrus (op., opercular part; tr., triangular part); dPMC; dorsal premotor cortex; SPC, superior parietal cortex; LOTC, lateral occipitotemporal cortex; dPFC, dorsal prefrontal cortex; TPJ, temporoparietal junction; AG, angular gyrus; TP, temporal pole; mPFC, medial prefrontal cortex. The colour bars represent the z-values.
Figure 4 with 1 supplement
Region of interest (ROI) univariate results (left area PF).
The results are shown here for (A) the mechanical problem-solving task, (B) the psychotechnical task, (C) the fluid-cognition task, and (D) the PHYS-Only and (E) INT + PHYS conditions of the mentalizing task. BOLD param. estimate refers to the mean BOLD activation value in the left area PF. Boxplots indicate the upper quartile, median and lower quartile. ns, not significant; ***p < 0.001.
Figure 4—figure supplement 1
Region of interest (ROI) univariate results (left area PF) for participants who performed at or above 50%.
The results are shown here for (A) the mechanical problem-solving task, (B) the psychotechnical task, (C) the fluid-cognition task, and (D) the PHYS-Only and (E) INT + PHYS conditions of the mentalizing task. BOLD param. estimate refers to the mean BOLD parameter estimate. Boxplots indicate the upper quartile, median and lower quartile. ns, not significant; ***p < 0.001.
Figure 5
Correlations between mean BOLD parameter estimates of the left area PF in the different tasks.
(A-F) shows the pairwise correlations between the psychotechnical task, the fluid-cognition task, and the PHYS-Only and (E) INT + PHYS conditions of the mentalizing task, and (G) the network that summarizes these pairwise correlations. The BOLD parameter estimates refer here to the difference in terms of mean BOLD activation between the experimental condition minus the control condition. The straight lines represent the linear model fits, and the light shaded areas are the standard errors. ns, not significant; *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001; Psy, psychotechnical task; Fcg, fluid-cognition task; PHY, mentalizing: PHYS-Only condition; INT, mentalizing: INT + PHYS condition.
Figure 6
Individual y coordinates for the left area PF region of interest (ROI) as a function of the task.
The individual maximum activation peaks of the mechanical problem-solving task, the psychotechnical task and the PHYS-Only and INT + PHYS conditions of the mentalizing task are located more posteriorly, in the area PF, than those of the fluid-cognition task, which are located more anteriorly in the area PFt and the postcentral cortex. The yellow sphere corresponded to the centre of the ROI (–59; –31; 40). Boxplots indicate the upper quartile, median and lower quartile. Only the significant comparisons are given. *p < 0.05; ***p < 0.001.
Additional files
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Supplementary file 1
Local maxima of activation clusters (MNI stereotactic coordinates) for the mechanical problem-solving task (Experimental condition > Control condition).
- https://cdn.elifesciences.org/articles/94578/elife-94578-supp1-v1.docx
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Supplementary file 2
Local maxima of activation clusters (MNI stereotactic coordinates) for the psychotechnical task (Experimental condition > Control condition).
- https://cdn.elifesciences.org/articles/94578/elife-94578-supp2-v1.docx
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Supplementary file 3
Local maxima of activation clusters (MNI stereotactic coordinates) for the fluid-cognition task (Experimental condition > Control condition).
- https://cdn.elifesciences.org/articles/94578/elife-94578-supp3-v1.docx
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Supplementary file 4
Local maxima of activation clusters (MNI stereotactic coordinates) for the mentalizing task (PHYS-Only condition > Control condition).
- https://cdn.elifesciences.org/articles/94578/elife-94578-supp4-v1.docx
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Supplementary file 5
Local maxima of activation clusters (MNI stereotactic coordinates) for the mentalizing task (INT + PHYS condition > Control condition).
- https://cdn.elifesciences.org/articles/94578/elife-94578-supp5-v1.docx
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Supplementary file 6
Local maxima of activation clusters (MNI stereotactic coordinates) for the mentalizing task (INT + PHYS condition > PHYS-Only condition).
- https://cdn.elifesciences.org/articles/94578/elife-94578-supp6-v1.docx
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Supplementary file 7
Local maxima of activation clusters (MNI stereotactic coordinates) for the conjunction analysis (mechanical problem-solving AND psychotechnical AND INT + PHYS AND PHYS-Only).
- https://cdn.elifesciences.org/articles/94578/elife-94578-supp7-v1.docx
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MDAR checklist
- https://cdn.elifesciences.org/articles/94578/elife-94578-mdarchecklist1-v1.docx
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Shaping the physical world to our ends through the left PF technical-cognition area
eLife 13:RP94578.
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.94578.3
