Neural correlates of repetition priming: An examination of the convergence of fMRI and ERP effects

Repetition priming, a facilitation in processing a stimulus due to recent processing of that stimulus, is a well-established behavioral phenomenon and is one of the most widely-studied aspects of human learning and memory. In order to uncover the mechanistic bases of repetition priming, recent research has focused on determining the neural correlates of this behavioral effect. This chapter is a review that examines the neural correlates of priming observed using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and event-related potentials (ERPs). Typical patterns of results emerge from both fMRI and ERPs, but certain experimental factors can modulate the typical effects. Currently, four theories have been proposed to account for the fMRI correlates of repetition priming. Converging evidence from both fMRI and ERP data, as well as a close examination of modulating factors and inconsistencies, is used here to examine how well these theories can account for all aspects of the neural correlates of repetition priming.