A　large　number　of　studies　have　provided　evidence　of　the　parahippocampal　cortex　(PHC)　activation　during　episodic　memory　which　refers　to　two　major　processes　that　encoding　and　retrieval.　To　date,　the　differential　role　of　PHC　is　involved　memory　encoding　and　retrieval　remains　unclear.　We　examined　this　issue　in　an　fMRI　study　by　measuring　the　brain　activity　of　36　normal　subjects.　The　tasks　consisted　of　encoding　and　retrieval　two　present　forms　of　information　(text　and　figure).　At　encoding,　subjects　were　required　to　try　to　read　and　comprehend　the　meaning　of　the　text　or　figure;　at　retrieval,　they　were　asked　to　make　judgments　in　regard　to　the　content　of　reading　comprehension.　The　direct　comparison　was　between　encoding　and　retrieval　irrespective　of　text　and　figure　that　encoding　was　more　significantly　activated　the　left　PHC　(BA36)　than　retrieval;　in　contrast,　retrieval　was　no　significantly　activated　the　PHC　than　encoding.　The　results　suggest　that　the　PHC　is　more　involved　in　memory　encoding.　In　addition,　more　significantly　activated　regions　in　PHC　related　to　figure　than　text　irrespective　of　encoding　and　retrieval　indicates　that　the　PHC　more　contributes　to　figure　than　text.　©　Springer-Verlag　Berlin　Heidelberg　2010.