Performance was measured using 4 learning indices:

1.) Total Time - total time (sec.) taken to complete a problem

2.) Initial Time - the "planning time" taken before the first move

3.) Execution Time - the time taken to complete the problem after the initial move

4.) % Correct Solutions - percentage of problems solved using the minimum number of moves

Scores were analyzed using ANOVAs and an alpha level of 0.05 was used to determine statistical significance.

Behavioral Performance - Data (TOL task)

The rCBF (regional cerebral blood flow) data is split into two categories:

Experimental VS Control Condition:
- EXPT1 vs CTRL
- EXPT10 vs CTRL

Total time correlations:
- Correlations between rCBF and total time in the four
experimental conditions
- Correlations between rCBF and total time in the four experimental
conditions, using the one-move control condition

Cerebral Blood Flow Results (TOL Task)

Data was collected in two areas:
- Behavioral performance
- Cerebral Blood Flow (from the PET scans)

University of California, Davis

This study uses PET scans to measure active brain regions in cognitive skill learning during the Tower of London (TOL) planning task. The subjects were scanned 11 times over a span of solving 90 TOL problems to understand dynamic functional changes.

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

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


Methods of the TOL task

Results of the TOL task

Over the course of the study, an increase in neural efficiency was found rather than a change in cognitive processes. This is indicated by a lack of shift to new brain regions and the decreased activation in frontal regions. 

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