Psychophysiological mechanisms of interindividual differences in goal activation modes during action cascading

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Moritz Mückschel - , Ruhr University Bochum (Author)
  • Ann Kathrin Stock - , Ruhr University Bochum (Author)
  • Christian Beste - , Ruhr University Bochum (Author)

Abstract

Our daily life is characterized by multiple response options that need to be cascaded in order to avoid overstrain of restricted response selection resources. While response selection and goal activation in action cascading are likely driven by a process varying from serial to parallel processing, little is known about the underlying neural mechanisms that may underlie interindividual differences in these modes of response selection. To investigate these mechanisms, we used a stop-change paradigm for the recording of event-related potentials and standardized low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography source localizations in healthy subjects. Systematically varying the stimulus onset asynchrony (the temporal spacing of "stop" and "change" signals), we applied mathematical constraints to classify subjects in more parallel or more serial goal activators during action cascading. On that basis, the electrophysiological data show that processes linking stimulus processing and response execution, but not attentional processes, underlie interindividual differences in either serial or parallel response selection modes during action cascading. On a systems level, these processes were mediated via a distributed fronto-parietal network, including the anterior cingulate cortex (Brodman area 32, BA32) and the temporo-parietal junction (BA40). There was a linear relation between the individual degree of overlap in activated task goals and electrophysiological processes.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2120-2129
Number of pages10
JournalCerebral cortex
Volume24
Issue number8
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2014
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 23492952
ORCID /0000-0002-2989-9561/work/160952636
ORCID /0000-0002-9069-7803/work/160953313

Keywords

Keywords

  • Anterior cingulate cortex, P3, Response selection, Stop-change paradigm, Temporo-parietal junction