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Mendl J, Banerjee S, Fischer R, Dreisbach G, Köster M. Control in context: The theta rhythm provides evidence for reactive control but no evidence for proactive control. Psychophysiology 2024:e14625. [PMID: 38837767 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
A prime goal of psychological science is to understand how humans can flexibly adapt to rapidly changing contexts. The foundation of this cognitive flexibility rests on contextual adjustments of cognitive control, which can be tested using the list-wide proportion congruency effect (LWPC). Blocks with mostly incongruent (MI) trials show smaller conflict interference effects compared to blocks with mostly congruent (MC) trials. A critical debate is how proactive and reactive control processes drive contextual adjustments. In this preregistered study (N = 30), we address this conundrum, by using the theta rhythm as a key neural marker for cognitive control. In a confound-minimized Stroop paradigm with short alternating MC and MI blocks, we tested reaction times, error rates, and participants' individualized theta activity (2-7 Hz) in the scalp-recorded electroencephalogram. An LWPC effect was found for both, reaction times and error rates. Importantly, the results provided clear evidence for reactive control processes in the theta rhythm: Theta power was higher in rare incongruent compared with congruent trials in MC blocks, but there was no such modulation in MI blocks. However, regarding proactive control, there were no differences in sustained theta power between MC and MI blocks. A complementary analysis of the alpha activity (8-14 Hz) also revealed no evidence for sustained attentional resources in MI blocks. These findings suggest that contextual adjustments rely mainly on reactive control processes in the theta rhythm. Proactive control, in the present study, may be limited to a flexible attentional shift but does not seem to require sustained theta activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Mendl
- Department of Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sayani Banerjee
- Department of Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Rico Fischer
- Department of Psychology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Gesine Dreisbach
- Department of Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Moritz Köster
- Department of Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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Koyun AH, Talebi N, Werner A, Wendiggensen P, Kuntke P, Roessner V, Beste C, Stock AK. Interactions of catecholamines and GABA+ in cognitive control: Insights from EEG and 1H-MRS. Neuroimage 2024; 293:120619. [PMID: 38679186 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Catecholamines and amino acid transmitter systems are known to interact, the exact links and their impact on cognitive control functions have however remained unclear. Using a multi-modal imaging approach combining EEG and proton-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS), we investigated the effect of different degrees of pharmacological catecholaminergic enhancement onto theta band activity (TBA) as a measure of interference control during response inhibition and execution. It was central to our study to evaluate the predictive impact of in-vivo baseline GABA+ concentrations in the striatum, the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the supplemental motor area (SMA) of healthy adults under varying degrees of methylphenidate (MPH) stimulation. We provide evidence for a predictive interrelation of baseline GABA+ concentrations in cognitive control relevant brain areas onto task-induced TBA during response control stimulated with MPH. Baseline GABA+ concentrations in the ACC, the striatum, and the SMA had a differential impact on predicting interference control-related TBA in response execution trials. GABA+ concentrations in the ACC appeared to be specifically important for TBA modulations when the cognitive effort needed for interference control was high - that is when no prior task experience exists, or in the absence of catecholaminergic enhancement with MPH. The study highlights the predictive role of baseline GABA+ concentrations in key brain areas influencing cognitive control and responsiveness to catecholaminergic enhancement, particularly in high-effort scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Helin Koyun
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, Dresden D-01307, Germany
| | - Nasibeh Talebi
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, Dresden D-01307, Germany
| | - Annett Werner
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, TU Dresden, Germany
| | - Paul Wendiggensen
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, Dresden D-01307, Germany
| | - Paul Kuntke
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, TU Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, Dresden D-01307, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, Dresden D-01307, Germany
| | - Ann-Kathrin Stock
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, Dresden D-01307, Germany.
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Mao R, Long C. Adaptive adjustment after conflict with group opinion: evidence from neural electrophysiology. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhad484. [PMID: 38102971 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals inherently seek social consensus when making decisions or judgments. Previous studies have consistently indicated that dissenting group opinions are perceived as social conflict that demands attitude adjustment. However, the neurocognitive processes of attitude adjustment are unclear. In this electrophysiological study, participants were recruited to perform a face attractiveness judgment task. After forming their own judgment of a face, participants were informed of a purported group judgment (either consistent or inconsistent with their judgment), and then, critically, the same face was presented again. The neural responses to the second presented faces were measured. The second presented faces evoked a larger late positive potential after conflict with group opinions than those that did not conflict, suggesting that more motivated attention was allocated to stimulus. Moreover, faces elicited greater midfrontal theta (4-7 Hz) power after conflict with group opinions than after consistency with group opinions, suggesting that cognitive control was initiated to support attitude adjustment. Furthermore, the mixed-effects model revealed that single-trial theta power predicted behavioral change in the Conflict condition, but not in the No-Conflict condition. These findings provide novel insights into the neurocognitive processes underlying attitude adjustment, which is crucial to behavioral change during conformity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Mao
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Changquan Long
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
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4
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Lu Y, Guo X, Weng X, Jiang H, Yan H, Shen X, Feng Z, Zhao X, Li L, Zheng L, Liu Z, Men W, Gao JH. Theta Signal Transfer from Parietal to Prefrontal Cortex Ignites Conscious Awareness of Implicit Knowledge during Sequence Learning. J Neurosci 2023; 43:6760-6778. [PMID: 37607820 PMCID: PMC10552945 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2172-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Unconscious acquisition of sequence structure from experienced events can lead to explicit awareness of the pattern through extended practice. Although the implicit-to-explicit transition has been extensively studied in humans using the serial reaction time (SRT) task, the subtle neural activity supporting this transition remains unclear. Here, we investigated whether frequency-specific neural signal transfer contributes to this transition. A total of 208 participants (107 females) learned a sequence pattern through a multisession SRT task, allowing us to observe the transitions. Session-by-session measures of participants' awareness for sequence knowledge were conducted during the SRT task to identify the session when the transition occurred. By analyzing time course RT data using switchpoint modeling, we identified an increase in learning benefit specifically at the transition session. Electroencephalogram (EEG)/magnetoencephalogram (MEG) recordings revealed increased theta power in parietal (precuneus) regions one session before the transition (pretransition) and a prefrontal (superior frontal gyrus; SFG) one at the transition session. Phase transfer entropy (PTE) analysis confirmed that directional theta transfer from precuneus → SFG occurred at the pretransition session and its strength positively predicted learning improvement at the subsequent transition session. Furthermore, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) modulated precuneus theta power and altered transfer strength from precuneus to SFG, resulting in changes in both transition rate and learning benefit at that specific point of transition. Our brain-stimulation evidence supports a role for parietal → prefrontal theta signal transfer in igniting conscious awareness of implicitly acquired knowledge.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT There exists a pervasive phenomenon wherein individuals unconsciously acquire sequence patterns from their environment, gradually becoming aware of the underlying regularities through repeated practice. While previous studies have established the robustness of this implicit-to-explicit transition in humans, the refined neural mechanisms facilitating conscious access to implicit knowledge remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that prefrontal activity, known to be crucial for conscious awareness, is triggered by neural signal transfer originating from the posterior brain region, specifically the precuneus. By employing brain stimulation techniques, we establish a causal link between neural signal transfer and the occurrence of awareness. Our findings unveil a mechanism by which implicit knowledge becomes consciously accessible in human cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Lu
- Fudan Institute on Ageing, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, 200433
- Ministry of education (MOE) Laboratory for National Development and Intelligent Governance, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, 200433
- School of Psychology and cognitive science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China, 200062
| | - Xiuyan Guo
- Fudan Institute on Ageing, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, 200433
- Ministry of education (MOE) Laboratory for National Development and Intelligent Governance, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, 200433
| | - Xue Weng
- School of Psychology and cognitive science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China, 200062
| | - Haoran Jiang
- Fudan Institute on Ageing, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, 200433
- Ministry of education (MOE) Laboratory for National Development and Intelligent Governance, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, 200433
| | - Huidan Yan
- School of Psychology and cognitive science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China, 200062
| | - Xianting Shen
- Fudan Institute on Ageing, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, 200433
- Department of Psychology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, 200433
| | - Zhengning Feng
- School of Psychology and cognitive science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China, 200062
| | - Xinyue Zhao
- School of Psychology and cognitive science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China, 200062
| | - Lin Li
- School of Psychology and cognitive science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China, 200062
| | - Li Zheng
- Fudan Institute on Ageing, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, 200433
- Ministry of education (MOE) Laboratory for National Development and Intelligent Governance, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, 200433
| | - Zhiyuan Liu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China, 710062
| | - Weiwei Men
- Center for MRI Research, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China, 100871
- Beijing City Key Laboratory for Medical Physics and Engineering, Institute of Heavy Ion Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, China, 100871
| | - Jia-Hong Gao
- Beijing City Key Laboratory for Medical Physics and Engineering, Institute of Heavy Ion Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, China, 100871
- Center for MRI Research and McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China, 100871
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Haciahmet CC, Frings C, Beste C, Münchau A, Pastötter B. Posterior delta/theta EEG activity as an early signal of Stroop conflict detection. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14195. [PMID: 36254672 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The conflict monitoring theory postulates that conflict detection is initiated in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), indexed by midfrontal theta oscillations in the electroencephalogram (EEG). Recent research suggested that distractor detection (in the Eriksen flanker task) can be initiated relatively early by attentional control processes in the occipital lobe. Whether attentional control is also involved in the detection of stimulus-response overlapping conflict in the Stroop task is yet unclear. In the present study, we analyzed EEG time-frequency data (N = 47) to investigate the contribution of early attentional control processes to the detection of response conflict and semantic conflict in a lateralized version of the color-word Stroop task. The behavioral results showed significant conflict effects in response times (RT). The EEG results showed a prominent midfrontal response conflict effect in total theta power (4-8 Hz). Importantly, detection of response conflict and semantic conflict was observed in posterior delta/theta power (2-8 Hz), which was lateralized depending on the presentation side of the irrelevant Stroop words. In explorative regression analysis, both the midfrontal and the posterior response conflict effects predicted the size of response conflict errors. These results suggest that attentional control processes in posterior areas contribute to the initiation of response-conflict detection in the Stroop task. The findings are consistent with the idea of a representational link between stimulus and response features, known as the common coding principle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christian Frings
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, University of Trier, Trier, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Alexander Münchau
- Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism, Universität zu Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
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Kurita Y, Urakawa T, Araki O. Theta phase coherence in visual mismatch responses involved in access processing to visual awareness. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1051844. [PMID: 36908709 PMCID: PMC9995375 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1051844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The electroencephalographic brain response to a deviation from the preceding sequential regularity of visual events, called visual mismatch negativity (vMMN), is well known to reflect automatic visual change detection. Our preliminary study showed a significant correlation between the enhancement of the vMMN amplitude and facilitation of perceptual alternation in binocular rivalry when the deviant stimulus was presented unconsciously. This implies that the vMMN is relevant to access processing, in which the unconscious stimulus is consciously perceived. Recent studies have reported that theta band oscillation evoked by a deviant stimulus is involved in evoking vMMN. However, it has not been clarified whether theta band oscillation associated with vMMN is also relevant to access processing. Methods: We analyzed the correlations between event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) and inter-trial phase coherence (ITPC) in the theta band and the proportion of perceptual alternation from before to after the presentation of deviation in the same experimental paradigm as in our previous study. Results: We found that an increase in ITPC in the theta band tended to correlate with facilitation of perceptual alternation in binocular rivalry when the deviant was presented unconsciously, but there was no significant correlation in ERSP. Discussion: The results suggest that theta phase coherence underlying the visual mismatch process is relevant to the access processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Kurita
- Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomokazu Urakawa
- Integrated Control System Development Division, Mazda Motor Corporation, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Osamu Araki
- Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science, Tokyo, Japan
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7
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Fusco G, Cristiano A, Perazzini A, Aglioti SM. Neuromodulating the performance monitoring network during conflict and error processing in healthy populations: Insights from transcranial electric stimulation studies. Front Integr Neurosci 2022; 16:953928. [PMID: 35965598 PMCID: PMC9368590 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2022.953928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The performance monitoring system is fundamentally important for adapting one’s own behavior in conflicting and error-prone, highly demanding circumstances. Flexible behavior requires that neuronal populations optimize information processing through efficient multi-scale communication. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) studies using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) fields to alter the cortical activity promise to illuminate the neurophysiological mechanisms that underpin neuro-cognitive and behavioral processing and their causal relationship. Here, we focus on the transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) that have been increasingly used in cognitive neuroscience for modulating superficial neural networks in a polarity (tDCS) and frequency/phase (tACS) fashion. Specifically, we discuss recent evidence showing how tDCS and tACS modulate the performance monitoring network in neurotypical samples. Emphasis is given to studies using behavioral tasks tapping conflict and error processing such as the Stroop, the Flanker, and the Simon tasks. The crucial role of mid-frontal brain regions (such as the medial frontal cortex, MFC; and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, dACC) and of theta synchronization in monitoring conflict and error is highlighted. We also discuss current technological limitations (e.g., spatial resolution) and the specific methodological strategies needed to properly modulate the cortical and subcortical regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Fusco
- “Sapienza” University of Rome and CLN2S@SAPIENZA, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Gabriele Fusco,
| | - Azzurra Cristiano
- “Sapienza” University of Rome and CLN2S@SAPIENZA, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Perazzini
- “Sapienza” University of Rome and CLN2S@SAPIENZA, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Salvatore Maria Aglioti
- “Sapienza” University of Rome and CLN2S@SAPIENZA, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
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Konjusha A, Colzato L, Mückschel M, Beste C. Auricular Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation Diminishes Alpha-Band-Related Inhibitory Gating Processes During Conflict Monitoring in Frontal Cortices. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2022; 25:457-467. [PMID: 35137108 PMCID: PMC9211011 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyac013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pursuing goals is compromised when being confronted with interfering information. In such situations, conflict monitoring is important. Theoretical considerations on the neurobiology of response selection and control suggest that auricular transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (atVNS) should modulate conflict monitoring. However, the neurophysiological-functional neuroanatomical underpinnings are still not understood. METHODS AtVNS was applied in a randomized crossover study design (n = 45). During atVNS or sham stimulation, conflict monitoring was assessed using a Flanker task. EEG data were recorded and analyzed with focus on theta and alpha band activity. Beamforming was applied to examine functional neuroanatomical correlates of atVNS-induced EEG modulations. Moreover, temporal EEG signal decomposition was applied to examine different coding levels in alpha and theta band activity. RESULTS AtVNS compromised conflict monitoring processes when it was applied at the second appointment in the crossover study design. On a neurophysiological level, atVNS exerted specific effects because only alpha-band activity was modulated. Alpha-band activity was lower in middle and superior prefrontal regions during atVNS stimulation and thus lower when there was also a decline in task performance. The same direction of alpha-band modulations was evident in fractions of the alpha-band activity coding stimulus-related processes, stimulus-response translation processes, and motor response-related processes. CONCLUSIONS The combination of prior task experience and atVNS compromises conflict monitoring processes. This is likely due to reduction of the alpha-band-associated inhibitory gating process on interfering information in frontal cortices. Future research should pay considerable attention to boundary conditions affecting the direction of atVNS effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anyla Konjusha
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany
- University Neuropsychology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany
| | - Lorenza Colzato
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany
- University Neuropsychology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany
- Faculty of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Moritz Mückschel
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany
- University Neuropsychology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany
- University Neuropsychology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany
- Faculty of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
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9
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Wendiggensen P, Ghin F, Koyun AH, Stock AK, Beste C. Pretrial Theta Band Activity Affects Context-dependent Modulation of Response Inhibition. J Cogn Neurosci 2022; 34:605-617. [PMID: 35061021 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
The ability to inhibit a prepotent response is a crucial prerequisite of goal-directed behavior. So far, research on response inhibition has mainly examined these processes when there is little to no cognitive control during the decision to respond. We manipulated the "context" in which response inhibition has to be exerted (i.e., a controlled or an automated context) by combining a Simon task with a go/no-go task and focused on theta band activity. To investigate the role of "context" in response inhibition, we also examined how far theta band activity in the pretrial period modulates context-dependent variations of theta band activity during response inhibition. This was done in an EEG study applying beamforming methods. Here, we examined n = 43 individuals. We show that an automated context, as opposed to a controlled context, compromises response inhibition performance and increases the need for cognitive control. This was also related to context-dependent modulations of theta band activity in superior frontal and middle frontal regions. Of note, results showed that theta band activity in the pretrial period, associated with the right inferior frontal cortex, was substantially correlated with context-dependent modulations of theta band activity during response inhibition. The direction of the obtained correlation provides insights into the functional relevance of a pretrial theta band activity. The data suggest that pretrial theta band activity reflects some form of attentional sampling to inform possible upcoming processes signaling the need for cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Wendiggensen
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany
| | - Filippo Ghin
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany
| | - Anna Helin Koyun
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany
| | - Ann-Kathrin Stock
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany
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10
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Yu S, Mückschel M, Rempel S, Ziemssen T, Beste C. Time-on-task effects on working memory gating processes—A role of theta synchronization and the norepinephrine system. Cereb Cortex Commun 2022; 3:tgac001. [PMID: 35098128 PMCID: PMC8794645 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgac001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Performance impairment as an effect of prolonged engagement in a specific task is commonly observed. Although this is a well-known effect in everyday life, little is known about how this affects central cognitive functions such as working memory (WM) processes. In the current study, we ask how time-on-task affects WM gating processes and thus processes regulating WM maintenance and updating. To this end, we combined electroencephalography methods and recordings of the pupil diameter as an indirect of the norepinephrine (NE) system activity. Our results showed that only WM gate opening but not closing processes showed time-on-task effects. On the neurophysiological level, this was associated with modulation of dorsolateral prefrontal theta band synchronization processes, which vanished with time-on-task during WM gate opening. Interestingly, also the modulatory pattern of the NE system, as inferred using pupil diameter data, changed. At the beginning, a strong correlation of pupil diameter data and theta band synchronization processes during WM gate opening is observed. This modulatory effect vanished at the end of the experiment. The results show that time-on-task has very specific effects on WM gate opening and closing processes and suggests an important role of NE system in the time-on-task effect on WM gate opening process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shijing Yu
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden 01309
- Faculty of Medicine, University Neuropsychology Centre, TU Dresden 01309
| | - Moritz Mückschel
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden 01309
- Faculty of Medicine, University Neuropsychology Centre, TU Dresden 01309
| | - Sarah Rempel
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden 01309
- Faculty of Medicine, University Neuropsychology Centre, TU Dresden 01309
| | - Tjalf Ziemssen
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, MS Centre, TU Dresden 01309
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden 01309
- Faculty of Medicine, University Neuropsychology Centre, TU Dresden 01309
- Address correspondence to Christian Beste, Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, D01309 Dresden, Germany.
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11
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A role of the norepinephrine system or effort in the interplay of different facets of inhibitory control. Neuropsychologia 2022; 166:108143. [PMID: 34998865 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Inhibitory control has multiple facets, and one possible distinction can be made between 'inhibition of interferences' and the 'inhibition of actions'. Both facets of inhibitory control show an interdependency. Even though some neurophysiological processes underlying this interdependency have been examined, the role of neuro-modulatory processes in their interplay are not understood. In the current study, we examine the role of the norepinephrine (NE) system in these processes. We did so by combining a Go/Nogo and Simon task. We recorded the EEG and pupil diameter data as an indirect index of NE system activity during the task. EEG theta band activity data and pupil diameter data were then integrated after conducting a temporal signal decomposition of the EEG data. We show that particularly theta band activity coding stimulus-response translation processes associated with middle frontal cortices, but not stimulus-driven processes are modulated by the interplay between the 'inhibition of interferences' and the 'inhibition of actions'. Modulations in stimulus-response translation processes were systematically correlated with pupil-diameter responses. The pattern of correlations suggests that phasic NE system activity particularly modulates stimulus-response mapping processes during conflict monitoring in incongruent Nogo trials, which may explain behavioral performance effects. Phasic NE system activity reflects essential modulators of the interplay between the 'inhibition of interferences' and the 'inhibition of actions'.
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Yu S, Mückschel M, Beste C. Event-related synchronization/desynchronization and functional neuroanatomical regions associated with fatigue effects on cognitive flexibility. J Neurophysiol 2021; 126:383-397. [PMID: 34191635 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00228.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility is an essential prerequisite for goal-directed behavior, and daily observations already show that it deteriorates when one is engaged in a task for a (too) long time. Yet, the neural mechanisms underlying such fatigability effect in cognitive flexibility are poorly understood. We examined how theta, alpha, and beta frequency event-related synchronization and desynchronization processes during cued memory-based task switching are modulated by time-on-task effects. We put special emphasis on the examination of functional neuroanatomical regions being associated with these modulations, using EEG beamforming. We show clear declines in task switching performance (increased switch costs) with time on task. For processes occurring before rule switching or repetition processes, we show that anticipatory attentional sampling and selection mechanisms associated with fronto-parietal structures are modulated by time-on-task effects but sensory areas (occipital cortex) also show fatigability-dependent modulations. After target stimulus presentation, the allocation of processing resources for response selection as reflected by theta-related activity in parietal cortices is compromised with time on task and similarly a concomitant increase in alpha and beta band-related attentional processing or gating mechanisms in frontal and occipital regions. Yet, considering the behavioral data showing an apparent decline in performance, this probably compensatory increase is still insufficient to allow reasonable performance. The same is likely the case for processes occurring before rule switching or repetition processes. Comparative analyses show that modulations of alpha band activity are as strongly modulated by fatigability as theta band activity. Implications of these findings for theoretical concepts on fatigability are discussed.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We examine the neurophysiological and functional neuroanatomical basis of fatigability in cognitive flexibility. We show that alpha and theta modulations in fronto-parietal and primary sensory areas are central for the understanding of fatigability effects in cognitive flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shijing Yu
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,University Neuropsychology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Moritz Mückschel
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,University Neuropsychology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,University Neuropsychology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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Adelhöfer N, Stock AK, Beste C. Anodal tDCS modulates specific processing codes during conflict monitoring associated with superior and middle frontal cortices. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:1335-1351. [PMID: 33656578 PMCID: PMC8036188 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02245-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Conflict monitoring processes are central for cognitive control. Neurophysiological correlates of conflict monitoring (i.e. the N2 ERP) likely represent a mixture of different cognitive processes. Based on theoretical considerations, we hypothesized that effects of anodal tDCS (atDCS) in superior frontal areas affect specific subprocesses in neurophysiological activity during conflict monitoring. To investigate this, young healthy adults performed a Simon task while EEG was recorded. atDCS and sham tDCS were applied in a single-blind, cross-over study design. Using temporal signal decomposition in combination with source localization analyses, we demonstrated that atDCS effects on cognitive control are very specific: the detrimental effect of atDCS on response speed was largest in case of response conflicts. This however only showed in aspects of the decomposed N2 component, reflecting stimulus-response translation processes. In contrast to this, stimulus-related aspects of the N2 as well as purely response-related processes were not modulated by atDCS. EEG source localization analyses revealed that the effect was likely driven by activity modulations in the superior frontal areas, including the supplementary motor cortex (BA6), as well as middle frontal (BA9) and medial frontal areas (BA32). atDCS did not modulate effects of proprioceptive information on hand position, even though this aspect is known to be processed within the same brain areas. Physiological effects of atDCS likely modulate specific aspects of information processing during cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nico Adelhöfer
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, TU Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Ann-Kathrin Stock
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, TU Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, TU Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
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