Meta-analytic evidence for a core problem solving network across multiple representational domains

Publication date: September 2018Source: Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, Volume 92Author(s): Jessica E. Bartley, Emily R. Boeving, Michael C. Riedel, Katherine L. Bottenhorn, Taylor Salo, Simon B. Eickhoff, Eric Brewe, Matthew T. Sutherland, Angela R. LairdAbstractProblem solving is a complex skill engaging multi-stepped reasoning processes to find unknown solutions. The breadth of real-world contexts requiring problem solving is mirrored by a similarly broad, yet unfocused neuroimaging literature, and the domain-general or context-specific brain networks associated with problem solving are not well understood. To more fully characterize those brain networks, we performed activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis on 280 neuroimaging problem solving experiments reporting 3166 foci from 1919 individuals across 131 papers. The general map of problem solving revealed broad fronto-cingulo-parietal convergence, regions similarly identified when considering separate mathematical, verbal, and visuospatial problem solving domain-specific analyses. Conjunction analysis revealed a common network supporting problem solving across diverse contexts, and difference maps distinguished functionally-selective sub-networks specific to task type. Our results suggest cooperation between representationally specialized sub-network and whole-brain systems provide a neural basis for problem solving, with the core network contributing general purpose resources to perform cognitive operations...
Source: Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews - Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research
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