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Richardson DP, Foxe JJ, Freedman EG. Reduced Proactive and Reactive Cognitive Flexibility in Older Adults Underlies Performance Costs During Dual-Task Walking: A Mobile Brain/Body Imaging (MoBI) Study. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.27.577090. [PMID: 38328169 PMCID: PMC10849668 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.27.577090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Age-related reductions in cognitive flexibility may limit modulation of control processes during systematic increases to cognitive-motor demands, exacerbating dual-task costs. In this study, behavioral and neurophysiologic changes to proactive and reactive control during progressive cognitive-motor demands were compared across older and younger adults to explore the basis for age-differences in cognitive-motor interference (CMI). 19 younger (19 - 29 years old, mean age = 22.84 +/- 2.75 years, 6 male, 13 female) and 18 older (60 - 77 years old, mean age = 67.89 +/- 4.60 years, 9 male, 9 female) healthy adults completed cued task-switching while alternating between sitting and walking on a treadmill. Gait kinematics, task performance measures, and brain activity were recorded using electroencephalography (EEG) based Mobile Brain/Body Imaging (MoBI). Response accuracy on easier trial types improved in younger, but not older adults when they walked while performing the cognitive task. As difficulty increased, walking provoked accuracy costs in older, but not younger adults. Both groups registered faster responses and reduced gait variability during dual-task walking. Older adults exhibited lower amplitude modulations of proactive and reactive neural activity as cognitive-motor demands systematically increased, which may reflect reduced flexibility for progressive preparatory and reactive adjustments over behavioral control.
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Affiliation(s)
- David P. Richardson
- The Frederick J. and Marion A. Schindler Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, The Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry Rochester, New York, USA
| | - John J. Foxe
- The Frederick J. and Marion A. Schindler Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, The Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Edward G. Freedman
- The Frederick J. and Marion A. Schindler Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, The Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry Rochester, New York, USA
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Modeling brain dynamics and gaze behavior: Starting point bias and drift rate relate to frontal midline theta oscillations. Neuroimage 2023; 268:119871. [PMID: 36682508 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.119871] [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: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Frontal midline theta oscillatory dynamics have been implicated as an important neural signature of inhibitory control. However, most proactive cognitive control studies rely on behavioral tasks where individual differences are inferred through button presses. We applied computational modeling to further refine our understanding of theta dynamics in a cued anti-saccade task with gaze-contingent eye tracking. Using a drift diffusion model, increased frontal midline theta power during high-conflict, relative to low-conflict, trials predicted a more conservative style of responding through the starting point (bias). During both high- and low-conflict trials, increases in frontal midline theta also predicted improvements in response efficiency (drift rate). Regression analyses provided support for the importance of the starting point bias, which was associated with frontal midline theta over the course of the task above-and-beyond both drift rate and mean reaction time. Our findings provide a more thorough understanding of proactive gaze control by linking trial-by-trial increases of frontal midline theta to a shift in starting point bias facilitating a more neutral style of responding.
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Hinss MF, Brock AM, Roy RN. The double task-switching protocol: An investigation into the effects of similarity and conflict on cognitive flexibility in the context of mental fatigue. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0279021. [PMID: 36827288 PMCID: PMC9955658 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Considerable fundamental studies have focused on the mechanisms governing cognitive flexibility and the associated costs of switching between tasks. Task-switching costs refer to the phenomenon that reaction times and accuracy decrease briefly following the switch from one task to another. However, cognitive flexibility also impacts day-to-day life in many complex work environments where operators have to perform several different tasks. One major difference between typical tasks examined in fundamental studies and real-world applications is that fundamental studies often rely on much more similar tasks, which is not the case for real-world applications. In the latter, operators may switch between vastly dissimilar tasks. Therefore, this behavioural study aims to test if task-switching costs are different for switches between similar and dissimilar tasks. The proposed protocol has participants switch between 2 pairs of two tasks each. Between pairs, there is more dissimilarity, while the two tasks within each pair are more similar. In addition, this study examines the impact of mental fatigue and interference in form of confounding information on cognitive flexibility. To induce mental fatigue the participants' breaks between blocks will be limited. We expect that dissimilarity between tasks will result in greater task-switching costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel F. Hinss
- ISAE-SUPAERO, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
- ENAC, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
- * E-mail:
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Fronto-parietal homotopy in resting-state functional connectivity predicts task-switching performance. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 227:655-672. [PMID: 34106305 PMCID: PMC8843912 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02312-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 10/29/2022]
Abstract
Homotopic functional connectivity reflects the degree of synchrony in spontaneous activity between homologous voxels in the two hemispheres. Previous studies have associated increased brain homotopy and decreased white matter integrity with performance decrements on different cognitive tasks across the life-span. Here, we correlated functional homotopy, both at the whole-brain level and specifically in fronto-parietal network nodes, with task-switching performance in young adults. Cue-to-target intervals (CTI: 300 vs. 1200 ms) were manipulated on a trial-by-trial basis to modulate cognitive demands and strategic control. We found that mixing costs, a measure of task-set maintenance and monitoring, were significantly correlated to homotopy in different nodes of the fronto-parietal network depending on CTI. In particular, mixing costs for short CTI trials were smaller with lower homotopy in the superior frontal gyrus, whereas mixing costs for long CTI trials were smaller with lower homotopy in the supramarginal gyrus. These results were specific to the fronto-parietal network, as similar voxel-wise analyses within a control language network did not yield significant correlations with behavior. These findings extend previous literature on the relationship between homotopy and cognitive performance to task-switching, and show a dissociable role of homotopy in different fronto-parietal nodes depending on task demands.
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Hsieh S, Yang MH. Two-Year Follow-Up Study of the Relationship Between Brain Structure and Cognitive Control Function Across the Adult Lifespan. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:655050. [PMID: 34140887 PMCID: PMC8205153 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.655050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related decline in cognitive control and general slowing are prominent phenomena in aging research. These declines in cognitive functions have been shown to also involve age-related decline in brain structure. However, most evidence in support of these associations is based on cross-sectional data. Therefore, the aim of this study is to contrast cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses to re-examine if the relationship between age-related brain structure and cognitive function are similar between the two approaches. One hundred and two participants completed two sessions with an average interval of 2 years. All participants were assessed by questionnaires, a series of cognitive tasks, and they all underwent neuroimaging acquisition. The main results of this study show that the majority of the conclusions regarding age effect in cognitive control function and processing speed in the literature can be replicated based on the cross-sectional data. Conversely, when we followed up individuals over an average interval of 2 years, then we found much fewer significant relationships between age-related change in gray matter structure of the cognitive control network and age-related change in cognitive control function. Furthermore, there was no "initial age" effect in the relationships between age-related changes in brain structure and cognitive function. This finding suggests that the "aging" relationship between brain structure and cognitive function over a short period of time are independent of "initial age" difference at time point 1. The result of this study warrants the importance of longitudinal research for aging studies to elucidate actual aging processes on cognitive control function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shulan Hsieh
- Cognitive Electrophysiology Laboratory: Control, Aging, Sleep, and Emotion (CASE), Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Institute of Allied Health Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Public Health, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Meng-Heng Yang
- Cognitive Electrophysiology Laboratory: Control, Aging, Sleep, and Emotion (CASE), Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
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Guo D, Li B, Yu Y, Liu X, Li X. Exploring the Limitations of the Shielding Function of Categorization Rules in Task-Switching. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1212. [PMID: 31191404 PMCID: PMC6548200 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Applying categorization rules narrows attention toward the relevant features of a target and helps participants to ignore the irrelevant features of the target. This is called the shielding function of categorization rules. Here we explored the limitation of the shielding function in two task-switching experiments. In Experiment 1, we assigned each target a single digital numeral as an additional feature in addition to conventional bivalent features as in the previous task-switching experiments with bivalent tasks. In the first two stages of Experiment 1, half of the participants learned the numeral-response associations and the other half used an alternative numeral-categorization rule to infer the response. Without participants applying conventional task-switching rules, the switching costs disappeared. Moreover, when participants performed tasks by numeral-response associations the bivalent features interfered with response retrieval and caused response-congruency effects, whereas when participants applied the numeral-categorization rule, the bivalent features were shielded away and thereby the response-congruency effects disappeared. In the third stage, in which all participants applied task-switching rules by discriminating between bivalent features (i.e., filling and orientations), we found task-switching costs and response-congruency effects. In Experiment 2, new bivalent features produced stronger interference compared to Experiment 1. As a consequence, participants in both the association group and the numeral-categorization rule group showed significant response-congruency effects in the first two stages, where task-switching rules were not introduced. It follows that the shielding function of categorization rules has limits—strong interference from bivalent features can break down the shielding function. In addition, participants in the association group showed task-switching costs without being informed about the task-switching rules. We propose that strong proactive interference can produce task-switching costs even without the use of task-switching rules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Guo
- School of Social Development and Public Policy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bingxin Li
- School of Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.,Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yun Yu
- Institute of International and Comparative Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuhong Liu
- School of Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Xiangqian Li
- School of Social Development and Public Policy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Brandwayn N, Restrepo D, Marcela Martinez-Martinez A, Acevedo-Triana C. Effect of fine and gross motor training or motor imagery, delivered via novel or routine modes, on cognitive function. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY-ADULT 2019; 27:450-467. [PMID: 30806078 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2019.1566133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
There is extensive literature linking motor activity to cognitive effects at various stages in life, promoting both development and the reduction of aging associated pathologies. It is unclear whether the benefits of this activity on the cognitive level are associated with brain functions that are necessary for their performance or recurrence of activity or type of activity itself. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the type of motor activity (fine, gross, and motor imagery) in two modes (novel and routine) can affect cognitive functions such as attention, executive functions, and praxis in college students. A 2 × 3 factorial design with repeated measures was used without a control group and pre- and post-training evaluation. Fifty-three young people (14 men and 39 women) participated, with mean age of 18.94 years (SD = 1.61 years) and were divided into six groups. Each of the groups performed relevant training 20 minutes per day for five days depending on the group. Measures were taken pre and post-training for attention tests, attention span, working memory, visual constructive skills, procedural memory, and motor skills. The results show a "learning effect" from the exposure to the tests in measurements after training. It was also found that between groups, there is a difference in some of the variables of procedural memory (number of errors) and working memory. More extensive training could better reflect the effects of the training, and longitudinal evaluation could show the rate of change of functions. The main clinical implication could be the evaluation of training programs for recovery and motor training in cerebral plasticity having effect on the cognitive aspects.
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Li B, Li X, Liu X, Lages M, Stoet G. Target-Response Associations Can Produce Response-Congruency Effects Without Task-Switching Costs. Front Psychol 2019; 10:40. [PMID: 30804824 PMCID: PMC6378947 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In task-switching experiments with bivalent target stimuli, conflicts during response selection give rise to response-congruency effects. Typically, participants respond more slowly and make more errors in trials with incongruent targets that require different responses in the two tasks, compared to trials with congruent targets that are associated with the same response in both tasks. Here we investigate whether participants show response-congruency effects when task rules are not made explicit. In two experiments, we assigned task-irrelevant features to each bivalent target. When participants were instructed to apply the task rules, they showed significant task-switching costs as well as response-congruency effects. Importantly, when the same participants did not know the task rules and responded without applying the task rules, they showed response-congruency effects but no switch costs. The significant congruency effects suggest that associations between bivalent target features and responses can be formed passively, even when participants do not follow the task rules and use task-irrelevant target features to make a response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingxin Li
- School of Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Xiangqian Li
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Development and Public Policy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuhong Liu
- School of Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Lages
- School of Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Gijsbert Stoet
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
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Zénon A, Solopchuk O, Pezzulo G. An information-theoretic perspective on the costs of cognition. Neuropsychologia 2018; 123:5-18. [PMID: 30268880 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Revised: 08/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
In statistics and machine learning, model accuracy is traded off with complexity, which can be viewed as the amount of information extracted from the data. Here, we discuss how cognitive costs can be expressed in terms of similar information costs, i.e. as a function of the amount of information required to update a person's prior knowledge (or internal model) to effectively solve a task. We then examine the theoretical consequences that ensue from this assumption. This framework naturally explains why some tasks - for example, unfamiliar or dual tasks - are costly and permits to quantify these costs using information-theoretic measures. Finally, we discuss brain implementation of this principle and show that subjective cognitive costs can originate either from local or global capacity limitations on information processing or from increased rate of metabolic alterations. These views shed light on the potential adaptive value of cost-avoidance mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Zénon
- Institut de Neuroscience Cognitive et Intégrative d'Aquitaine, Université de Bordeaux, France; Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Oleg Solopchuk
- Institut de Neuroscience Cognitive et Intégrative d'Aquitaine, Université de Bordeaux, France; Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Giovanni Pezzulo
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council, Via San Martino della Battaglia 44, 00185 Rome, Italy
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Barceló F, Cooper PS. An information theory account of late frontoparietal ERP positivities in cognitive control. Psychophysiology 2017; 55. [DOI: 10.1111/psyp.12814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Barceló
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology; University of the Balearic Islands; Mallorca Spain
| | - Patrick S. Cooper
- Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Psychology; University of Newcastle; Callaghan Australia
- Priority Research Centre for Brain and Mental Health; University of Newcastle; Callaghan Australia
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Cooper PS, Darriba Á, Karayanidis F, Barceló F. Contextually sensitive power changes across multiple frequency bands underpin cognitive control. Neuroimage 2016; 132:499-511. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2015] [Revised: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
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