Purpose:　To　explore　the　blood　oxygen　level　dependent　(BOLD)　response　in　the　posterior　cingulate　cortex　(PCC)　and　the　adjacent　precuneus　regions　in　healthy　elderly　adults　during　problem　solving　tasks.　Materials　and　Methods:　Eighteen　participants　(7　women,　mean　age　of　63.6　+/-　6.0　years　old)　were　analyzed.　The　functional　magnetic　resonance　imaging　(fMRI)　tasks　were　simplified　4　x　4　Sudoku　puzzles　that　were　divided　into　simple　tasks　(using　the　row　rule　or　the　column　rule　to　solve　the　puzzle)　and　complex　tasks　(using　both　the　row　and　column　rules　to　solve　the　puzzle).　Results:　The　mean　accuracy　on　the　simple　task　was　higher　than　that　on　the　complex　task　(P　=　0.04);　the　reaction　time　on　the　simple　task　was　shorter　than　that　on　the　complex　task　(P　=　0.001).　On　both　tasks,　the　participants　showed　deactivation　in　the　bilateral　PCC/precuneus　regions.　The　extent　of　deactivation　on　the　complex　task　was　greater　than　that　on　the　simple　task　(left:　P　=　0.04;　right:　P　=　0.04).　Conclusions:　Healthy　elderly　adults　showed　deactivation　in　the　bilateral　PCC　and　precuneus　regions　during　a　problem　solving　task;　in　addition,　the　extent　of　deactivation　was　enhanced　by　increasing　the　difficulty　of　the　problem　solving　task.　(C)　2012　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.