Likewise, the parietal cortex, which is linked to spatial perception, is proportionally larger in men than in women.

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In fact what happened was increased activity in three areas of the frontal and parietal cortex, some of which are better known for their involvement in rational thought.

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These include the frontal cortex (where decisions are made), the motor cortex (which controls muscle activity), the somatosensory cortex (where the sense of touch is located) and the part of the parietal cortex that regulates kinaesthesia (the sense of bodily motion, which is built up from signals from the muscles and the vestibular systems of the ears).

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Instead, a region called the parietal lobes, also part of the prefrontal cortex and usually associated with arithmetic performance - was brought into play.

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Areas of the brain thought to be included in this network include medial frontal, the lateral parietal and the posterior cingulate regions of the cortex.

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By measuring relative degrees of activation in the parietal lobe, an area involved in integrating visual images, and in the prefrontal cortex, where decision making takes place, Berns says, he could determine that the group changed what the reporter perceived.

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