Adaptation to Frequent Conflict in the Eriksen Flanker Task

We examined adaptation to frequent conflict in a flanker task using event-related potentials (ERPs). A prominent model of cognitive control suggests the fronto-central N2 as an indicator of conflict monitoring. Based on this model we predicted (1) an increased N2 amplitude for incompatible compared to compatible stimuli and (2) that this difference in N2 amplitude would be less pronounced under conditions of frequent conflict (high cognitive control). In this model, adaptation to frequent conflict is implemented as modulation of early visual processing. Traditionally, variations in processing selectivity in the flanker task have been related to a zoom lens model of visual attention. Therefore, we further predicted (3) effects of conflict frequency on early visual ERP components of the event-related potential, and (4) generalization of conflict adaptation due to increased conflict frequency in the flanker task to other visuospatial tasks, intermixed within flanker task trials. Frequent conflict was associated with reduced flanker interference in response times (RTs) and error rate. Consistent with the literature, amplitude of the fronto-central N2 was larger and latency of the central P3 longer for incompatible stimuli. Both effects were smaller when conflict was frequent, supporting the notion of fronto-central N2 as indicator of conflict monitoring. Neither amplitude nor latency of the posterior P1, as index of early visual processing, was modulated by conflict frequency. Additionally, conflict frequency in the flanker task did not affect the pattern of RTs in a probe task. In sum, our results suggest that conflict adaptation operates in a task-specific manner and does not necessarily alter early information processing, that is, the spatial focus of visual attention.

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Does Creativity Influence Visual Perception? - An Event-Related Potential Study With Younger and Older Adults

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.742116 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Petra Csizmadia ◽

István Czigler ◽

Boglárka Nagy ◽

Zsófia Anna Gaál

Keyword(s):

Visual Processing ◽

Healthy Aging ◽

Early Stage ◽

Event Related Potentials ◽

Event Related Potential ◽

Oddball Paradigm ◽

Top Down ◽

Early Visual Processing ◽

Related Potentials ◽

Creative Group

We do not know enough about the cognitive background of creativity despite its significance. Using an active oddball paradigm with unambiguous and ambiguous portrait paintings as the standard stimuli, our aim was to examine whether: creativity in the figural domain influences the perception of visual stimuli; any stages of visual processing; or if healthy aging has an effect on these processes. We investigated event related potentials (ERPs) and applied ERP decoding analyses in four groups: younger less creative; younger creative; older less creative; and older creative adults. The early visual processing did not differ between creativity groups. In the later ERP stages the amplitude for the creative compared with the less creative groups was larger between 300 and 500 ms. The stimuli types were clearly distinguishable: within the 300–500 ms range the amplitude was larger for ambiguous rather than unambiguous paintings, but this difference in the traditional ERP analysis was only observable in the younger, not elderly groups, who also had this difference when using decoding analysis. Our results could not prove that visual creativity influences the early stage of perception, but showed creativity had an effect on stimulus processing in the 300–500 ms range, in indexing differences in top-down control, and having more flexible cognitive control in the younger creative group.

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Conflict monitoring and adaptation as reflected by N2 amplitude in obsessive–compulsive disorder

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291716003597 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 47 (8) ◽

pp. 1379-1388 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

A. Riesel ◽

J. Klawohn ◽

N. Kathmann ◽

T. Endrass

Keyword(s):

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽

Flanker Task ◽

Reaction Times ◽

Event Related Potentials ◽

Conflict Adaptation ◽

Conflict Monitoring ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

Conflict Processing ◽

Related Potentials

BackgroundFeelings of doubt and perseverative behaviours are key symptoms of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and have been linked to hyperactive error and conflict signals in the brain. While enhanced neural correlates of error monitoring have been robustly shown, far less is known about conflict processing and adaptation in OCD.MethodWe examined event-related potentials during conflict processing in 70 patients with OCD and 70 matched healthy comparison participants, focusing on the stimulus-locked N2 elicited in a flanker task. Conflict adaptation was evaluated by analysing sequential adjustments in N2 and behaviour, i.e. current conflict effects as a function of preceding conflict.ResultsPatients with OCD showed enhanced N2 amplitudes compared with healthy controls. Further, patients showed stronger conflict adaptation effects on reaction times and N2 amplitude. Thus, the effect of previous compatibility was larger in patients than in healthy participants as indicated by greater N2 adjustments in change trials (i.e. iC, cI). As a result of stronger conflict adaptation in patients, N2 amplitudes were comparable between groups in incompatible trials following incompatible trials.ConclusionsLarger N2 amplitudes and greater conflict adaptation in OCD point to enhanced conflict monitoring leading to increased recruitment of cognitive control in patients. This was most pronounced in change trials and was associated with stronger conflict adjustment in N2 and behaviour. Thus, hyperactive conflict monitoring in OCD may be beneficial in situations that require a high amount of control to resolve conflict, but may also reflect an effortful process that is linked to distress and symptoms of OCD.

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Second language (L2) proficiency, socioeconomic status (SES), and intelligence (IQ) are significant predictors of cognitive control differences among young adult unbalanced Chinese–English bilinguals

Bilingualism Language and Cognition ◽

10.1017/s1366728918000822 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 22 (04) ◽

pp. 866-882 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

ZHILONG XIE ◽

TERESA SIGNORELLI PISANO

Keyword(s):

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Second Language ◽

Young Adult ◽

Cognitive Control ◽

Flanker Task ◽

Incongruent Condition ◽

Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽

Card Sorting ◽

Conflict Monitoring ◽

L2 Proficiency

The current study investigates how second-language (L2) proficiency contributes to cognitive control differences among three groups of unbalanced Chinese–English bilinguals matched for socioeconomic status (SES), intelligence (IQ), education, age, culture, and L1 background. A Flanker task and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) were administered to measure conflict monitoring, inhibition, and mental set shifting. ANOVA analyses revealed faster performance for the High-L2 Group compared to the Low-L2 Group in the congruent, neutral, and incongruent conditions of the Flanker task. However, there were no group differences on the WCST. Multiple step-wise regression analyses showed that L2 proficiency was a predictor for the Flanker task performance in all three conditions, SES in the neutral and the incongruent condition, and IQ in the congruent condition. These results suggest that L2 proficiency, along with SES and IQ, contribute significantly to cognitive control differences in conflict monitoring among young-adult bilinguals.

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Visual attention spreads broadly but selects information locally

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/srep35513 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Satoshi Shioiri ◽

Hajime Honjyo ◽

Yoshiyuki Kashiwase ◽

Kazumichi Matsumiya ◽

Ichiro Kuriki

Keyword(s):

Visual Attention ◽

Spatial Attention ◽

Visual Processing ◽

Early Stage ◽

Event Related Potential ◽

Spatial Spread ◽

Local Selection ◽

Unified View ◽

Behavioral Evidence ◽

P3 Component

Abstract Visual attention spreads over a range around the focus as the spotlight metaphor describes. Spatial spread of attentional enhancement and local selection/inhibition are crucial factors determining the profile of the spatial attention. Enhancement and ignorance/suppression are opposite effects of attention, and appeared to be mutually exclusive. Yet, no unified view of the factors has been provided despite their necessity for understanding the functions of spatial attention. This report provides electroencephalographic and behavioral evidence for the attentional spread at an early stage and selection/inhibition at a later stage of visual processing. Steady state visual evoked potential showed broad spatial tuning whereas the P3 component of the event related potential showed local selection or inhibition of the adjacent areas. Based on these results, we propose a two-stage model of spatial attention with broad spread at an early stage and local selection at a later stage.

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Event-Related Potential Evidence of Enhanced Visual Processing in Auditory-Associated Cortex in Adults with Hearing Loss

Audiology and Neurotology ◽

10.1159/000505608 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (5) ◽

pp. 237-248

Author(s):

Maojin Liang ◽

Jiahao Liu ◽

Yuexin Cai ◽

Fei Zhao ◽

Suijun Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Visual Processing ◽

Event Related Potentials ◽

Event Related Potential ◽

Occipital Area ◽

Mapping Analysis ◽

Related Potentials ◽

The Difference ◽

The Right ◽

Frontotemporal Area

Objective: The present study investigated the characteristics of visual processing in the auditory-associated cortex in adults with hearing loss using event-related potentials. Methods: Ten subjects with bilateral postlingual hearing loss were recruited. Ten age- and sex-matched normal-hearing subjects were included as controls. Visual (“sound” and “non-sound” photos)-evoked potentials were performed. The P170 response in the occipital area as well as N1 and N2 responses in FC3 and FC4 were analyzed. Results: Adults with hearing loss had higher P170 amplitudes, significantly higher N2 amplitudes, and shorter N2 latency in response to “sound” and “non-sound” photo stimuli at both FC3 and FC4, with the exception of the N2 amplitude which responded to “sound” photo stimuli at FC3. Further topographic mapping analysis revealed that patients had a large difference in response to “sound” and “non-sound” photos in the right frontotemporal area, starting from approximately 200 to 400 ms. Localization of source showed the difference to be located in the middle frontal gyrus region (BA10) at around 266 ms. Conclusions: The significantly stronger responses to visual stimuli indicate enhanced visual processing in the auditory-associated cortex in adults with hearing loss, which may be attributed to cortical visual reorganization involving the right frontotemporal cortex.

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S46. IMPAIRED ERROR-PROCESSING IN PATIENTS WITH FIRST-EPISODE PSYCHOSIS: AN EVENT-RELATED POTENTIAL STUDY

Schizophrenia Bulletin ◽

10.1093/schbul/sbaa031.112 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S50-S50

Author(s):

Jihye Park ◽

Minah Kim ◽

Wu Jeong Hwang ◽

Jun Soo Kwon

Keyword(s):

Correct Response ◽

Event Related Potentials ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

Electrode Site ◽

Event Related Potential ◽

First Episode ◽

Conflict Monitoring ◽

Error Related Negativity ◽

Episode Psychosis ◽

Related Potentials

Abstract Background Impaired error/conflict monitoring as reflected in the event-related potentials (ERPs) has consistently reported in patients with schizophrenia. However, whether this impairment exist from the early phase of psychosis such as first-episode psychosis (FEP) is not yet been clearly reported. To investigate the presence of error/conflict monitoring deficit in early psychosis, we examined the error-related negativity (ERN), error-related positivity (Pe), and correct-response negativity (CRN) during the Go/Nogo task in the patients with FEP. Methods 25 patients with and 25 age, sex matched healthy controls (HCs) were participated in electroencephalographic recording during the Go/Nogo task. Trials with error response was analyzed to define ERN at Fz electrode site and Pe at Pz electrode site. Trials with correct response was used for CRN analysis at Fz electrode site. Independent samples t-test was used to compare the amplitudes of ERP components between FEP and HC groups. Pearson’s correlation analysis was performed to reveal the relationship of altered ERP component with symptomatic severity in patients with schizophrenia. Results FEP patients showed significantly smaller ERN amplitude at Fz electrode site compared to HCs (t=-3.294, p=0.002). However, there was no difference of CRN (t=0.017, p=0.986) and Pe (t=1.806, p=0.077) amplitudes between FEP and HC groups. There was no significant correlation of symptomatic severity and ERN amplitude at Fz electrode site in FEP patients. Discussion These findings suggest that impairments in error/conflict monitoring as reflected by ERN amplitude exist from the early course of psychotic disorder. Future study with larger sample size and subjects at earlier phase such as clinical high risk for psychosis would be needed to confirm the findings of current study.

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Anticipating Conflict Facilitates Controlled Stimulus-response Selection

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience ◽

10.1162/jocn.2009.21136 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 21 (8) ◽

pp. 1461-1472 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Ángel Correa ◽

Anling Rao ◽

Anna C. Nobre

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Control ◽

Temporal Resolution ◽

Response Selection ◽

Flanker Task ◽

Conflict Detection ◽

High Temporal Resolution ◽

Proactive Control ◽

Conflict Monitoring ◽

Sequential Effects ◽

Monitoring Model

Cognitive control can be triggered in reaction to previous conflict, as suggested by the finding of sequential effects in conflict tasks. Can control also be triggered proactively by presenting cues predicting conflict (“proactive control”)? We exploited the high temporal resolution of ERPs and controlled for sequential effects to ask whether proactive control based on anticipating conflict modulates neural activity related to cognitive control, as may be predicted from the conflict-monitoring model. ERPs associated with conflict detection (N2) were measured during a cued flanker task. Symbolic cues were either informative or neutral with respect to whether the target involved conflicting or congruent responses. Sequential effects were controlled by analyzing the congruency of the previous trial. The results showed that cueing conflict facilitated conflict resolution and reduced the N2 latency. Other potentials (frontal N1 and P3) were also modulated by cueing conflict. Cueing effects were most evident after congruent than after incongruent trials. This interaction between cueing and sequential effects suggests neural overlap between the control networks triggered by proactive and reactive signals. This finding clarifies why previous neuroimaging studies, in which reactive sequential effects were not controlled, have rarely found anticipatory effects upon conflict-related activity. Finally, the high temporal resolution of ERPs was critical to reveal a temporal modulation of conflict detection by proactive control. This novel finding suggests that anticipating conflict speeds up conflict detection and resolution. Recent research suggests that this anticipatory mechanism may be mediated by preactivation of ACC during the preparatory interval.

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Fractionating the Cognitive Control Required to Bring About a Change in Task: A Dense-sensor Event-related Potential Study

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience ◽

10.1162/jocn.2008.20015 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 255-267 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Duncan E. Astle ◽

G. M. Jackson ◽

R. Swainson

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Control ◽

Task Switching ◽

Event Related Potentials ◽

Event Related Potential ◽

Overt Response ◽

Control Functions ◽

Basic Task ◽

Physical Response ◽

Related Potentials ◽

Covert Response

The ability to change our behavior is one that we frequently exert, although determining the mechanisms by which we do so is far from trivial. Task switching is a useful experimental paradigm for studying cognitive control functions. Switching between tasks is associated with a decrement in performance, or “switch-cost,” relative to repeating the same task. We have previously demonstrated that this cost is dependent on switching from performing one task to performing another; changing only our intended performance does not elicit the same performance deficit. Using event-related potentials (ERPs), we dissociated two electrophysiological indices mirroring this behavioral distinction [Astle, D. E., Jackson, G. M., & Swainson, R. Dissociating neural indices of dynamic cognitive control in advance task-set preparation: An ERP study of task switching. Brain Res, 1125, 94–103, 2006]. However, what was unclear were the specific aspects of performance that were critical for triggering the neural mechanisms associated specifically with switching from a previously performed task. Two candidate aspects were: (i) that performance required a physical response and (ii) that the two tasks shared their responses (they had bivalent response mappings). The present study therefore compared three separate groups to explore the effects of these different aspects of performance. Each group completed the same basic task-switching paradigm, but with either an overt response or covert response, and either switching between tasks that shared their responses (bivalent response mappings) or had separate responses (univalent response mappings). When comparing precue-locked ERPs, we observed three separable components: one common to all three groups, one which primarily dissociated overt from covert responding, and one which primarily dissociated bivalent from univalent responding. We therefore concluded that changing our behavior engages at least three dissociable mechanisms. Interestingly, in the overt conditions, residual switch-costs were absent; in addition, therefore, we concluded that it is possible to engage cognitive control in advance, such that the new behavior is as efficient as were the subject to have repeated the old behavior.

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