Table 1.
Behavioral data collected in fMRI study.
Figure 1.
Cortical activation correlating with the experience of beauty.
Statistical parametric maps rendered onto averaged anatomical sections (average of 21 subjects) showing the T statistic for the contrasts (A) Visually Beautiful > Visually Ugly, (B) Musically Beautiful > Musically Ugly and (C) the results of a conjunction analysis for Visually Beautiful > Visually Ugly and Musically Beautiful > and Musically Ugly. Upper row shows activity in mid-saggital sections and the middle row in horizontal sections of the brain. (D) shows the overlap in zones within the medial orbito-frontal cortex (mOFC) activated by visually beautiful (red), musically beautiful (green) stimuli, and the overlap between the two activations (yellow). Random effects analysis with 21 subjects. Display threshold p<0.001 (uncorrected). MNI co-ordinates of activation: A: at (−6 41–11). B: at (−3 41–8). And C: at (−3 41–8). The co-ordinates in D are the same as in C.
Table 2.
Activated areas correlating with the experience of beauty.
Table 3.
Activation area in the conjunction analysis.
Figure 2.
Modulation of cortical activity by aesthetic rating.
Averaged parameter estimates showing modulation by beauty rating (Beautiful, Indifferent and Ugly) in mOFC for (A) visual stimuli (at −6 41–11) and (B) musical stimuli at −3 41–8. A linear relationship with beauty rating was observed in both conditions.
Table 4.
Activated areas correlating with the experience of ugliness.
Figure 3.
Cortical activations correlating with the experience of ugliness.
Statistical parametric maps rendered onto averaged coronal anatomical sections (the average of 21 subjects) showing the T statistic for the contrasts Visually Ugly > Visually Beautiful. Random effects analysis with 21 subjects: display threshold p<0.001(uncorrected). (A) Coronal planes showing activations in left and right amygdala (−18 −4 −14) and (36 2 −11). (B) Left somato-motor cortex (−42 −10 61 SVC). Averaged parameter estimates showing modulation by beauty rating (Beautiful, Indifferent and Ugly) in left amygdala and left somato-motor cortex. A linear relationship with beauty rating was observed at each voxel.