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

Lutz Jäncke

doi:10.3389/neuro.01.006.2009

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.

Highlights

Presence is a relatively new concept that, with the advent of computer technology, has acquired considerable importance in the effective design of virtual environments that simulate real world events and settings
Presence Presence is understood as referring to the subjective feeling of being in a virtual environment while transiently unaware of one’s real location and surroundings and of the technology that delivers the stream of virtual input to the senses the stimuli and in particular the perception and experience of the VE
The findings indicate the level of significance of the right-sided dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in controlling the actions and the pivotal role of the right-sided DLPFC in the control of the activation of a network that generates or modulates the presence experience

Summary

Introduction

Presence is a relatively new concept that, with the advent of computer technology, has acquired considerable importance in the effective design of virtual environments that simulate real world events and settings. An alternative view on presence proposed by Sanchez-Vives and Slater (2005) highlights the role of supported actions in the (real or virtual) environment as a constituent feature of the experience of reality. 333) that “the key to the approach is that the sense of ‘being there’ in a virtual environment (VE) is grounded on the ability to ‘do there’”. In our view, this ability does not mean that real actions must be executed in a VE. The motor representations of the upcoming movements strongly associated with a particular stimuli are most likely used to shape perception along with the experience of Frontiers in Neuroscience www.frontiersin.org

The neural underpinnings of presence

Conclusion