The 4 experimental scans were done at the start of certain problem blocks:
- EXPT1 - beginning of Block 1
- EXPT4 - beginning of Block 4
- EXPT7 - beginning of Block 7
- EXPT10 - beginning of Block 10

The participants were instructed to start solving the problem 10 seconds before the tracer was injected. Although the PET scans only lasted 60 seconds, the participants had to complete the entire block of 9 problems.

Imaging Procedures: Experimental Scans (TOL task)

2 control scans were taken over the entire testing session:
- CTRL1 - at the start of the testing session
- CTRL2 - at the end of the testing session

In the control session, participants solved up to 16 one-move problems.

Imaging Procedures: Control Scans (TOL task)

Although participants were scanned 11 times over the course of the session, only 6 PET scans were used in the analysis:
- 4 experimental scans
- 2 control scans

University of California, Davis

- Subjects
- Tower of London Task
- Testing Procedure
- Imaging Procedures


Methods of the TOL task

Beauchamp, M., Dagher, A., Aston, J., & Doyon, J. (2003). Dynamic functional changes associated with cognitive skill learning of an adapted version of the Tower of London task. NeuroImage, 20(3), 1649-1660. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2003.07.003

Dynamic functional changes associated with cognitive skill learning of an adapted version of the Tower of London task

This is a cognitive task consisting of colored spheres in 3 stacks. The goal is to match the given state to the model by rearranging the spheres in the minimum amount of moves. The spheres can only be moved in the order in which they appear in the stacks.

Tower of London task

- total of 12 right-handed men (n=6) and women (n=6)
- Age range: 51 to 69 years
- Education: 11 to 20 years
- healthy individuals: no history of neurological, psychological, or cardiovascular problems
 - All subjects were tested using the Modified Mini Mental State examination and the Corsi Block Tapping task. Those receiving abnormally low scores were excluded from the study.

Subjects of the TOL task

- total testing session: about 2 hours
- Before the main test, the participants were asked to complete 5 practice problems of increasing difficulty (one move, two moves, etc.) to ensure participants understood the rules. 

Main task:
- 10 blocks of 9 TOL problems each (90 TOL problems total) were administered, where the order of the blocks were randomly generated for each participant.
- Order of difficulty: 3-move problem, then 5-move problem, then 4-move problem, etc.
- Subjects were instructed to plan their moves before moving any circles.
- Subjects had no time limit, but were limited to a maximum amount of moves (2 times the min. number of moves plus 4).

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