Areas of the brain that help a person differentiate between what is real and what is imaginary have been uncovered in a new study led by UCL researchers.
The research, published in Neuron, found that a region in the brain known as the fusiform gyrus —located behind one’s temples, on the underside of the brain’s temporal lobe —is involved in helping the brain to determine whether what we see is from the external world or generated by our imagination.
The researchers hope that their findings will increase understanding of the cognitive processes that go awry when someone has difficulty judging what is real and what is not, such as in schizophrenia, and could eventually lead to advancement in diagnosing and treating these conditions.
