Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum Bochum, Germany.
Front Psychol. 2013 Nov 22;4:879. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00879. eCollection 2013.
The efficacy of executive functions is critically modulated by information processing in earlier cognitive stages. For example, initial processing of verbal stimuli in the language-dominant left-hemisphere leads to more efficient response inhibition than initial processing of verbal stimuli in the non-dominant right hemisphere. However, it is unclear whether this organizational principle is specific for the language system, or a general principle that also applies to other types of lateralized cognition. To answer this question, we investigated the neurophysiological correlates of early attentional processes, facial expression perception and response inhibition during tachistoscopic presentation of facial "Go" and "Nogo" stimuli in the left and the right visual field (RVF). Participants committed fewer false alarms after Nogo-stimulus presentation in the left compared to the RVF. This right-hemispheric asymmetry on the behavioral level was also reflected in the neurophysiological correlates of face perception, specifically in a right-sided asymmetry in the N170 amplitude. Moreover, the right-hemispheric dominance for facial expression processing also affected event-related potentials typically related to response inhibition, namely the Nogo-N2 and Nogo-P3. These findings show that an effect of hemispheric asymmetries in early information processing on the efficacy of higher cognitive functions is not limited to left-hemispheric language functions, but can be generalized to predominantly right-hemispheric functions.
执行功能的功效受到早期认知阶段信息处理的关键调节。例如，语言优势半球左半球对言语刺激的初始处理比非优势半球右半球对言语刺激的初始处理导致更有效的反应抑制。然而，目前尚不清楚这个组织原则是特定于语言系统的，还是也适用于其他类型的偏侧化认知的一般原则。为了回答这个问题，我们研究了在速示器呈现面孔“Go”和“Nogo”刺激时，左、右视野（RVF）中早期注意过程、面部表情感知和反应抑制的神经生理相关性。与 RVF 相比，参与者在左视野中 Nogo 刺激呈现后错误警报较少。这种行为水平上的右半球偏侧性也反映在面孔感知的神经生理相关性中，特别是在 N170 振幅的右侧不对称性上。此外，面部表情处理的右半球优势也影响了通常与反应抑制相关的事件相关电位，即 Nogo-N2 和 Nogo-P3。这些发现表明，早期信息处理中的半球不对称效应对更高认知功能功效的影响不仅限于左半球语言功能，还可以推广到主要右半球功能。
