Shared and differential neural substrates of copying versus drawing: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Abstract

Copying and drawing-from-memory tasks are popular clinical tests to assess visuo-motor skills in neurological patients. The tasks share some motor and visual processes; however, they differ substantially in their cognitive demands. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to identify brain regions underlying processes involved in these tasks while avoiding confounds related to basic motor requirements, through use of a specially developed functional magnetic resonance imaging-compatible computer tablet. For the copying task, activation was observed in brain regions subserving visual processing and crossmodal attention (e.g. left lingual gyrus, cuneus). Drawing activated the anterior cingulate, an area associated with motor control and linking intention with action. These findings suggest distinct neural networks subserving copying and drawing.