Virtual reality and the role of the prefrontal cortex in adults and children

Lutz Jäncke, Marcus Cheetham, Thomas Baumgartner, Lutz Jäncke, Marcus Cheetham, Thomas Baumgartner

Abstract

In this review, the neural underpinnings of the experience of presence are outlined. Firstly, it is shown that presence is associated with activation of a distributed network, which includes the dorsal and ventral visual stream, the parietal cortex, the premotor cortex, mesial temporal areas, the brainstem and the thalamus. Secondly, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is identified as a key node of the network as it modulates the activity of the network and the associated experience of presence. Thirdly, children lack the strong modulatory influence of the DLPFC on the network due to their unmatured frontal cortex. Fourthly, it is shown that presence-related measures are influenced by manipulating the activation in the DLPFC using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) while participants are exposed to the virtual roller coaster ride. Finally, the findings are discussed in the context of current models explaining the experience of presence, the rubber hand illusion, and out-of-body experiences.

Keywords: DLPFC; adults; brain imaging; brain maturation; children; fmRI; presence.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Demonstration of brain areas that are more strongly activated during the presentation of a roller coaster scenario that evokes high presence versus low presence. (A) Increased hemodynamic responses overlaid on a three-dimensional (3D) rendered brain and two sagittal brain slices. (B) Schematic depiction of the stronger activated brain areas during the high presence condition.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Correlations between subjective presence experience and the hemodynamic responses in the right-sided (A) and left-sided (B) DLPFC. The correlations were calculated between the mean hemodynamic response in the DLPFC and the subjective presence measures.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(A) Network, which is down-regulated (in blue) or up-regulated (in red) by the right-sided or left-sided DLPFC in adults. The down-regulated brain areas show “negative connectivity” with the right-sided DLPFC implying that strong activation of the right-sided DLPFC is associated with reduced activation in the network (and vice versa). The up-regulated brain areas show “positive connectivity” with the left-sided DLPFC. (B) The network shows “positive connectivity” with the right-sided DLPFC and “negative connectivity” with the left-sided DLPFC in children. Actually, there is no down-regulation but rather an up-regulation by the right-sided DLPFC in children.

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