Psychophysiology Laboratory, Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 6, 30060 Kraków, Poland.
Int J Psychophysiol. 2017 Oct;120:126-135. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2017.07.013. Epub 2017 Jul 28.
The detection of cognitive conflict is thought to trigger adjustments in executive control. It has been recently shown that cognitive conflict increases processing of stimuli that are relevant to the ongoing task and that these modulations are exerted by the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). However, it is still unclear whether such control influences are unspecific and might also affect the processing of task-irrelevant stimuli. The aim of the study was to examine if cognitive conflict affects processing of neutral and negative, task-irrelevant pictures. Participants responded to congruent (non-conflict) or to incongruent (conflict-eliciting) trials of a modified flanker task. Each response was followed by a presentation of a neutral or negative picture. The late positive potential (LPP) in response to picture presentation was used to assess the level of picture processing after conflict vs non-conflict trials. Connectivity between the DLPFC and attentional and perceptual areas during picture presentation was analysed to check if the DLPFC might be a source of these modulations. ERP results showed an effect of cognitive conflict only on processing of negative pictures: LPP in response to negative pictures was increased after conflict trials, whereas LPP in response to neutral pictures remained unchanged. Cortical connectivity analysis showed that conflict trials intensified information flow from the DLPFC towards attentional and perceptual regions. Results suggest that cognitive conflict increases processing of task-irrelevant stimuli; however, they must display high biological salience. Increase in cognitive control exerted by the DLPFC over attentional and perceptual regions is a probable mechanism of the effect.
认知冲突的检测被认为会引发执行控制的调整。最近的研究表明，认知冲突会增加与当前任务相关的刺激的处理，而这些调节是由背外侧前额叶皮层（DLPFC）施加的。然而，目前尚不清楚这种控制影响是否是特异性的，也可能会影响到对任务无关刺激的处理。本研究旨在检验认知冲突是否会影响对中性和负性、与任务无关的图片的处理。参与者对修改后的侧抑制任务的一致（非冲突）或不一致（冲突诱发）的试验做出反应。每次反应后都会呈现一张中性或负性的图片。在图片呈现后使用晚正电位（LPP）来评估冲突与非冲突试验后图片处理的水平。在图片呈现期间分析 DLPFC 与注意和感知区域之间的连通性，以检查 DLPFC 是否可能是这些调节的来源。ERP 结果仅显示认知冲突对负性图片处理的影响：对负性图片的 LPP 在冲突试验后增加，而对中性图片的 LPP 保持不变。皮层连通性分析表明，冲突试验增强了来自 DLPFC 的信息流到注意和感知区域。结果表明，认知冲突会增加对任务无关刺激的处理；然而，它们必须具有高的生物显著性。DLPFC 对注意和感知区域施加的认知控制的增加可能是这种影响的一种机制。
