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Rawish T, Wendiggensen P, Friedrich J, Frings C, Münchau A, Beste C. Neurophysiological processes reflecting the effects of the immediate past during the dynamic management of actions. Neuroimage 2024; 288:120526. [PMID: 38280691 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120526] [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: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, there has been many efforts to establish a comprehensive theoretical framework explaining the working mechanisms involved in perception-action integration. This framework stresses the importance of the immediate past on mechanisms supporting perception-action integration. The present study investigates the neurophysiological principles of dynamic perception-action bindings, particularly considering the influence of the immediate history on action control mechanisms. For this purpose, we conducted an established stimulus-response binding paradigm during EEG recording. The SR-task measures stimulus-response binding in terms of accuracy and reaction time differences depending on the degree of feature overlap between conditions. Alpha, beta and theta band activity in distinct time domains as well as associated brain regions were investigated applying time-frequency analyses, a beamforming approach as well as correlation analyses. We demonstrate, for the first time, interdependencies of neuronal processes relying on the immediate past. The reconfiguration of an action seems to overwrite immediately preceding processes. The analyses revealed modulations of theta (TBA), alpha (ABA) and beta band activity (BBA) in connection with fronto-temporal structures supporting the theoretical assumptions of the considered conceptual framework. The close interplay of attentional modulation by gating irrelevant information (ABA) and binding and retrieval processes (TBA) is reflected by the correlation of ABA in all pre-probe-intervals with post-probe TBA. Likewise, the role of BBA in maintaining the event file until retrieval is corroborated by BBA preceding the TBA-associated retrieval of perception-action codes. Following action execution, TBA shifted towards visual association cortices probably reflecting preparation for upcoming information, while ABA and BBA continue to reflect processes of attentional control and information selection for goal-directed behavior. The present work provides the first empirical support for concepts about the neurophysiological mechanisms of dynamic management of perception and action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Rawish
- Institute of Systems Motor Science, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | | | - Julia Friedrich
- Institute of Systems Motor Science, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Christian Frings
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Alexander Münchau
- Institute of Systems Motor Science, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Institute of Systems Motor Science, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany; Department of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, PR China.
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2
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Haciahmet CC, Golubickis M, Schäfer S, Frings C, Pastötter B. The oscillatory fingerprints of self-prioritization: Novel markers in spectral EEG for self-relevant processing. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14396. [PMID: 37497664 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14396] [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: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Self-prioritization is a very influential modulator of human information processing. Still, little is known about the time-frequency dynamics of the self-prioritization network. In this EEG study, we used the familiarity-confound free matching task to investigate the spectral dynamics of self-prioritization and their underlying cognitive functions in a drift-diffusion model. Participants (N = 40) repeatedly associated arbitrary geometric shapes with either "the self" or "a stranger." Behavioral results demonstrated prominent self-prioritization effects (SPEs) in reaction time and accuracy. Remarkably, EEG cluster analysis also revealed two significant SPEs, one in delta/theta power (2-7 Hz) and one in beta power (19-29 Hz). Drift-diffusion modeling indicated that beta activity was associated with evidence accumulation, whereas delta/theta activity was associated with response selection. The decreased beta suppression of the SPE might indicate more efficient sensorimotor processing of self-associated stimulus-response features, whereas the increased delta/theta SPE might refer to the facilitated retrieval of self-relevant features across a widely distributed associative self-network. These novel oscillatory biomarkers of self-prioritization indicate their function as an associative glue for the self-concept.
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3
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Böttcher A, Wilken S, Adelhöfer N, Raab M, Hoffmann S, Beste C. A dissociable functional relevance of theta- and beta-band activities during complex sensorimotor integration. Cereb Cortex 2023:7180375. [PMID: 37246154 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad191] [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: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensorimotor integration processes play a central role in daily life and require that different sources of sensory information become integrated: i.e. the information related to the object being under control of the agent (i.e. indicator) and the information about the goal of acting. Yet, how this is accomplished on a neurophysiological level is contentious. We focus on the role of theta- and beta-band activities and examine which neuroanatomical structures are involved. Healthy participants (n = 41) performed 3 consecutive pursuit-tracking EEG experiments in which the source of visual information available for tracking was varied (i.e. that of the indicator and the goal of acting). The initial specification of indicator dynamics is determined through beta-band activity in parietal cortices. When information about the goal was not accessible, but operating the indicator was required nevertheless, this incurred increased theta-band activity in the superior frontal cortex, signaling a higher need for control. Later, theta- and beta-band activities encode distinct information within the ventral processing stream: Theta-band activity is affected by the indicator information, while beta-band activity is affected by the information about the action goal. Complex sensorimotor integration is realized through a cascade of theta- and beta-band activities in a ventral-stream-parieto-frontal network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Böttcher
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University Neuropsychology Center, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Saskia Wilken
- General Psychology: Judgment, Decision Making, & Action, Institute of Psychology, University of Hagen, Hagen, Germany
| | - Nico Adelhöfer
- Donders Institute of Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Markus Raab
- Performance Psychology, Institute of Psychology, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- School of Applied Sciences, London South Bank University, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sven Hoffmann
- General Psychology: Judgment, Decision Making, & Action, Institute of Psychology, University of Hagen, Hagen, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University Neuropsychology Center, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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4
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Wendiggensen P, Prochnow A, Pscherer C, Münchau A, Frings C, Beste C. Interplay between alpha and theta band activity enables management of perception-action representations for goal-directed behavior. Commun Biol 2023; 6:494. [PMID: 37149690 PMCID: PMC10164171 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04878-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Goal-directed behavior requires integrated mental representations of perceptions and actions. The neurophysiological underpinnings of these processes, however, are not yet understood. It is particularly undetermined, which oscillatory activities in which brain regions are involved in the management of perception-action representations. We examine this question with a focus on response inhibition processes and show that the dynamics of perception-action representations reflected in theta band activity (TBA) are particularly evident in the supplementary motor area and the occipito-temporal cortex. Mental representations coded in alpha band activity (ABA) during perception-action integration are associated with the occipito-temporal cortex. Crucially, perception-action representations are exchanged between theta and alpha frequency bands. The results imply that ABA functions as dynamic top-down control over binding, retrieval and reconfiguration processes during response inhibition, which in turn are reflected by TBA. Our study thus highlights how the interplay of oscillatory activity enables the management of perception-action representations for goal-directed behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Wendiggensen
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine of the TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- University Neuropsychology Center, Faculty of Medicine, Dresden, Germany
| | - Astrid Prochnow
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine of the TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- University Neuropsychology Center, Faculty of Medicine, Dresden, Germany
| | - Charlotte Pscherer
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine of the TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- University Neuropsychology Center, Faculty of Medicine, Dresden, Germany
| | - Alexander Münchau
- Institute of Systems Motor Science, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Christian Frings
- Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Trier, Trier, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine of the TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- University Neuropsychology Center, Faculty of Medicine, Dresden, Germany.
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5
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Schöpper LM, Frings C. Inhibition of return (IOR) meets stimulus-response (S-R) binding: Manually responding to central arrow targets is driven by S-R binding, not IOR. VISUAL COGNITION 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/13506285.2023.2169802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Christian Frings
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, University of Trier, Trier, Germany
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6
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Gholamipourbarogh N, Prochnow A, Frings C, Münchau A, Mückschel M, Beste C. Perception-action integration during inhibitory control is reflected in a concomitant multi-region processing of specific codes in the neurophysiological signal. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14178. [PMID: 36083256 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The integration of perception and action has long been studied in psychological science using overarching cognitive frameworks. Despite these being very successful in explaining perception-action integration, little is known about its neurophysiological and especially the functional neuroanatomical foundations. It is unknown whether distinct brain structures are simultaneously involved in the processing of perception-action integration codes and also to what extent demands on perception-action integration modulate activities in these structures. We investigate these questions in an EEG study integrating temporal and ICA-based EEG signal decomposition with source localization. For this purpose, we used data from 32 healthy participants who performed a 'TEC Go/Nogo' task. We show that the EEG signal can be decomposed into components carrying different informational aspects or processing codes relevant for perception-action integration. Importantly, these specific codes are processed independently in different brain structures, and their specific roles during the processing of perception-action integration differ. Some regions (i.e., the anterior cingulate and insular cortex) take a 'default role' because these are not modulated in their activity by demands or the complexity of event file coding processes. In contrast, regions in the motor cortex, middle frontal, temporal, and superior parietal cortices were not activated by 'default' but revealed modulations depending on the complexity of perception-action integration (i.e., whether an event file has to be reconfigured). Perception-action integration thus reflects a multi-region processing of specific fractions of information in the neurophysiological signal. This needs to be taken into account when further developing a cognitive science framework detailing perception-action integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Negin Gholamipourbarogh
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,University Neuropsychology Center, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Astrid Prochnow
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,University Neuropsychology Center, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Alexander Münchau
- Institute of Systems Motor Science, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Moritz Mückschel
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,University Neuropsychology Center, 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 Center, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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7
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What is left after an error? Towards a comprehensive account of goal-based binding and retrieval. Atten Percept Psychophys 2023; 85:120-139. [PMID: 36451075 PMCID: PMC9816262 DOI: 10.3758/s13414-022-02609-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
The cognitive system readily detects and corrects erroneous actions by establishing episodic bindings between representations of the acted upon stimuli and the intended correct response. If these stimuli are encountered again, they trigger the retrieval of the correct response. Thus, binding and retrieval efficiently pave the way for future success. The current study set out to define the role of the erroneous response itself and explicit feedback for the error during these processes of goal-based binding and retrieval. Two experiments showed robust and similar binding and retrieval effects with and without feedback and pointed towards sustained activation of the unbound, erroneous response. The third experiment confirmed that the erroneous response is more readily available than a neutral alternative. Together, the results demonstrate that episodic binding biases future actions toward success, guided primarily through internal feedback processes, while the erroneous response still leaves detectable traces in human action control.
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8
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Abstract
When facing particular combinations of stimuli and responses, people create temporary event-files integrating the corresponding stimulus and response features. Subsequent repetition of one or more of these features retrieves the entire event-file, which impairs performance if not all features are repeated (partial-repetition costs). In the literature, different decay functions have been reported presumably dependent on the type of feature that is repeated (e.g. target vs. distractor features). Here, we use a variant of the S1R1-S2R2 and distractor-response binding task and analyze for the first time target-based and distractor-based event-file decay functions within the same task and sample. While we found evidence for decay functions and also stronger retrieval due to target than distractor repetitions, slopes of the decay functions were comparable suggesting that the decay process itself is equal irrespective of the type of stimulus feature that is repeated. Our study thereby confirms overarching approaches that summarize paradigm specific findings with the same set of core processes.
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9
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Computational Investigations of Learning and Synchronization in Cognitive Control. J Cogn 2022; 5:44. [PMID: 36246581 PMCID: PMC9524294 DOI: 10.5334/joc.239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Complex cognition requires binding together of stimulus, action, and other features, across different time scales. Several implementations of such binding have been proposed in the literature, most prominently synaptic binding (learning) and synchronization. Biologically plausible accounts of how these different types of binding interact in the human brain are still lacking. To this end, we adopt a computational approach to investigate the impact of learning and synchronization on both behavioral (reaction time, error rate) and neural (θ power) measures. We train four models varying in their ability to learn and synchronize for an extended period of time on three seminal action control paradigms varying in difficulty. Learning, but not synchronization, proved essential for behavioral improvement. Synchronization however boosts performance of difficult tasks, avoiding the computational pitfalls of catastrophic interference. At the neural level, θ power decreases with practice but increases with task difficulty. Our simulation results bring new insights in how different types of binding interact in different types of tasks, and how this is translated in both behavioral and neural metrics.
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10
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Saccadic landing positions reveal that eye movements are affected by distractor-based retrieval. Atten Percept Psychophys 2022; 84:2219-2235. [PMID: 35978216 PMCID: PMC9481505 DOI: 10.3758/s13414-022-02538-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Binding theories assume that stimulus and response features are integrated into short-lasting episodes and that upon repetition of any feature the whole episode is retrieved, thereby affecting performance. Such binding theories are nowadays the standard explanation for a wide range of action control tasks and aim to explain all simple actions, without making assumptions of effector specificity. Yet, it is unclear if eye movements are affected by integration and retrieval in the same way as manual responses. We asked participants to discriminate letters framed by irrelevant shapes. In Experiment 1, participants gave their responses with eye movements. Saccade landing positions showed a spatial error pattern consistent with predictions of binding theories. Saccadic latencies were not affected. In Experiment 2 with an increased interval between prime and probe, the error pattern diminished, again congruent with predictions of binding theories presuming quickly decaying retrieval effects. Experiment 3 used the same task as in Experiment 1, but participants executed their responses with manual key presses; again, we found a binding pattern in response accuracy. We conclude that eye movements and manual responses are affected by the same integration and retrieval processes, supporting the tacit assumption of binding theories to apply to any effector.
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11
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Wendiggensen P, Adelhöfer N, Jamous R, Mückschel M, Takacs A, Frings C, Münchau A, Beste C. Processing of embedded response plans is modulated by an interplay of fronto-parietal theta and beta activity. J Neurophysiol 2022; 128:543-555. [PMID: 35894437 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00537.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Even simple actions like opening a door require integration/binding and flexible re-activation of different motor elements. Yet, the neural mechanisms underlying the processing of such 'embedded response plans' are largely elusive, despite theoretical frameworks, such as the Theory of Event Coding, describing the involved cognitive processes. In a sample of N = 40 healthy participants we combine time-frequency decomposition and various beamforming methods to examine neurophysiological dynamics of such action plans - with special emphasis on the interplay of theta and beta frequency activity during the processing of these plans. We show that the integration and rule-guided reactivation of embedded response plans is modulated by a complex interplay of theta and beta activity. Pre-trial BBA is related to different functional neuroanatomical structures which are activated in a consecutive fashion. Enhanced preparatory activity is positively associated with higher binding-related BBA in the precuneus/parietal areas, indicating that activity in the precuneus/parietal cortex facilitates the execution of an embedded action sequence. Increased preparation subsequently leads to reduced working memory retrieval demands. A cascading pattern of interactions between pre-trial and within-trial activity indicates the importance of preparatory brain activity. The study shows that there are multiple roles of beta and theta oscillations associated with different functional neuroanatomical structures during the integration and reactivation of motor elements during actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Wendiggensen
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,University Neuropsychology Center, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Nico Adelhöfer
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,University Neuropsychology Center, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Roula Jamous
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,University Neuropsychology Center, 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 Center, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Adam Takacs
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,University Neuropsychology Center, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Alexander Münchau
- Institute of Systems Motor Science, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,University Neuropsychology Center, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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12
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Eggert E, Takacs A, Münchau A, Beste C. On the Role of Memory Representations in Action Control: Neurophysiological Decoding Reveals the Reactivation of Integrated Stimulus-Response Feature Representations. J Cogn Neurosci 2022; 34:1246-1258. [PMID: 35552449 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Efficient response selection is essential to flexible, goal-directed behavior. Prominent theoretical frameworks such as the Theory of Event Coding and Binding and Retrieval in Action Control have provided insights regarding the dynamics of perception-action integration processes. According to Theory of Event Coding and Binding and Retrieval in Action Control, encoded representations of stimulus-response bindings influence later retrieval processes of these bindings. However, this concept still lacks conclusive empirical evidence. In the current study, we applied representational decoding to EEG data. On the behavioral level, the findings replicated binding effects that have been established in previous studies: The task performance was impaired when an event file had to be reconfigured. The EEG-decoding results showed that retrieval processes of stimulus-response bindings could be decoded using the representational content developed after the initial establishment of these stimulus-response bindings. We showed that stimulus-related properties became immediately reactivated when re-encountering the respective stimulus-response association. These reactivations were temporally stable. In contrast, representations of stimulus-response mappings revealed a transient pattern of activity and could not successfully be decoded directly after stimulus-response binding. Information detailing the bindings between stimuli and responses were also retrieved, but only after having been loaded into a memory system. The current study supports the notion that stimulus-response integration and memory processes are intertwined at multiple levels.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Christian Beste
- TU, Dresden, Germany
- Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
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13
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Illuminating the prefrontal neural correlates of action sequence disassembling in response-response binding. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22856. [PMID: 34819541 PMCID: PMC8613220 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02247-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Execution of two independent actions in quick succession results in transient binding of these two actions. Subsequent repetition of any of these actions automatically retrieves the other. This process is probably fundamental for developing complex action sequences. However, rigid bindings between two actions are not always adaptive. Sometimes, it is necessary to repeat only one of the two previously executed actions. In such situations, stored action sequences must be disassembled, for the sake of flexibility. Exact mechanisms that allow for such an active unbinding of actions remain largely unknown, but it stands to reason, that some form of prefrontal executive control is necessary. Building on prior neuronal research that explored other forms of binding (e.g. between distractors and responses and abstract representations and responses), we explored middle and superior frontal correlates of -response binding in a sequential classification task with functional near-infrared spectroscopy. We found that anterior dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activity varied as a function of response-repetition condition. Activity in the right anterior dorsolateral prefrontal cortex correlated with changes in reaction times due to response-response binding. Our results indicate that the right anterior dorsolateral prefrontal cortex dismantles bindings between consecutive actions, whenever such bindings interfere with current action goals.
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