Both　text　and　figure　are　important　ways　to　represent　data　and　information.　Although　many　investigations　on　lexical,　sentential　representation　and　processing　have　been　reported　in　cognitive　neuroscience,　the　brain　mechanism　remains　unclear　on　different　neural　substrates　of　representation　and　processing　between　text　and　figure.　In　our　study,　experimental　materials　were　designed　with　the　same　content　and　meaning,　but　they　were　represented　by　either　text　or　figure,　which　were　two　kinds　of　tasks,　namely　homogenous　textual　and　graphic　tasks.　To　address　the　differences　of　neural　basis　of　representation　and　processing　between　text　and　figure,　we　scanned　36　subjects　with　fMRI　using　event-related　design,　as　they　read　text　or　figure　and　then　gave　their　own　responses.　The　results　showed　that　whether　representation　or　processing,　text　was　more　significant　activations　of　striate　and　prestriate　cortex　than　figure,　in　contrast,　figure　was　more　significant　activations　of　the　parahippocampal　gyrus　and　extrastriate　than　text.　©2009　IEEE.