Inter-thinker consistency of language activations during abstract thoughts

Abstract

Human brain imaging typically employs structured and controlled tasks to avoid variable and inconsistent activation patterns. Here we argue against this assumption by showing that an extremely open-ended, high level cognitive task-loosely defined as "abstract thinking" leads to a precise, and highly consistent activation maps. Thus we show that activation maps generated during such cognitive process were precisely located relative to borders of well-known networks such as internal speech, visual and motor imagery. The activation patterns allowed decoding the thought condition at >95%. Surprisingly, the activated networks remained the same regardless of changes in thought content. Finally, we found a remarkably consistent activation map across individuals engaged in abstract thinking. The activation to abstract thinking bordered, but strictly avoided visual and motor networks. On the other hand, it partly overlapped with left lateralized language networks. These observations were supported by a quantitative neuronal distance metric analysis. Our results reveal that despite its high level, and varied content nature-abstract thinking activates surprisingly precise and consistent networks in the participants brains. Thinker refers to: The agent of thought; Intellectual, one who tries to use his or her intellect to work, study, reflect, speculate on, or ask and answer questions with regard to a variety of different ideas" (Wikipedia).