Recalling Routes Around London : Activation Of The Right Hippocampus In Taxi Drivers

Question 0

Hypothesis of the study

Answer 0

1) Are the same regions activated for semantictopographical memories retrieval
2) What brain regions is activated during recalling famous landmarks?
3) Are the same regions activated during topographical and non-topographical memory retrieval?

Question 1

What is the aim of the study?

Answer 1

To investigate whether there are specific brain regions that are responsible for semantic topographical memory; whether there were brain functioning differences between tasks that involved topographical or non-topographical memories; and if these two types of memories were affected by whether the memory was a sequence of logical events or not

Question 2

Sample of the study

Answer 2

• 11 right handed qualified and licensed male taxi drivers
• Average age of 45 years old
• None neurological illness
• Shortest time was 3 years

Question 3

Method of the study

Answer 3

Lab experiment

Question 4

Design of the study

Answer 4

Repeated measure design

Question 5

IV & DV of the study

Answer 5

IV : Memory type
- Topographical VS Non-topographical 
IV2 : Sequencing 
- Sequentials VS Non-sequential
DV : Images of PET scan (to show activity of the brain regions)

Question 6

Apparatus

Answer 6

• A London route (from Grosvenor Square to Elephant and Castle)
• World famous landmarks
• Films with plots
• Films with still frames
• A PET scan
• Intraveneous H2^15O and saline flush

Question 7

Controls of the study

Answer 7

Landmarks - New places the drivers have never visited before
Films drivers had seen at least 5 times, so that they are all fimiliar with
Scanner procedure was the same for all ps
Injection given was the same
Ps were blindfolded
A pilot study was done (to non ps taxi drivers) to ensure all task and equipment were fit for purpose

Question 8

Procedure

Answer 8

Complete the pre-questionnaires