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Studying Cognition with Positron Emission Tomography

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Neural Correlates of Thinking

Part of the book series: On Thinking ((ONTHINKING,volume 1))

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Abstract

Positron emission tomography (PET) is essentially the only method for directly measuring neurotransmitter function in vivo in the human brain. While PET has been supplanted by functional magnetic resonance imaging for the purpose of brain mapping, much information about cognitive function can still be gleaned from studies of specific neurotransmitter function. We will introduce the methodology and give examples of studies involving one neurotransmitter (dopamine). Dopamine has been linked to motivation and reward, processes that belong entirely to the realm of what we refer to as thinking.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. McConnell Brain Imaging Center, McGill University, 3801 University St, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3A 2B4

    Alain Dagher

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  1. Alain Dagher
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Correspondence to Alain Dagher .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Parmenides Center for the Study of Thinking, Parmenides Foundation, Kardinal Faulhaber Str. 14a, 80333, Munich, Germany

    Ernst Pöppel , Eduard Kraft  & Ernst Pöppel ,  & 

  2. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Neuropsychology Unit, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Marchioninistr.15, 81337, Munich, Germany

    Eduard Kraft

  3. Psychiatry Section Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, S-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden

    Balázs Gulyás

  4. Human Science Center, Ludwig Maximilian University, Goethestr.31, 80336, Munich

    Ernst Pöppel  & Ernst Pöppel  & 

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© 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Dagher, A. (2009). Studying Cognition with Positron Emission Tomography. In: Kraft, E., Gulyás, B., Pöppel, E. (eds) Neural Correlates of Thinking. On Thinking, vol 1. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-68044-4_3

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