Wang Xi, Talebi Nasibeh, Zhou Xianzhen, Hommel Bernhard, Beste Christian
Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China.
Neuroimage. 2024 Nov 15;302:120915. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120915. Epub 2024 Nov 2.
Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying metacontrol and conflict regulation is crucial for insights into cognitive flexibility and persistence. This study employed electroencephalography (EEG), EEG-beamforming and directed connectivity analyses to explore how varying metacontrol states influence conflict regulation at a neurophysiological level. Metacontrol states were manipulated by altering the frequency of congruent and incongruent trials across experimental blocks in a modified flanker task, and both behavioral and electrophysiological measures were analyzed. Behavioral data confirmed the experimental manipulation's efficacy, showing an increase in persistence bias and a reduction in flexibility bias during increased conflict regulation. Electrophysiologically, theta band activity paralleled the behavioral data, suggesting that theta oscillations reflect the mismatch between expected metacontrol bias and actual task demands. Alpha and beta band dynamics differed across experimental blocks, though these changes did not directly mirror behavioral effects. Post-response alpha and beta activity were more pronounced in persistence-biased states, indicating a neural reset mechanism preparing for future cognitive demands. By using a novel artificial neural networks method, directed connectivity analyses revealed enhanced inter-regional communication during persistence states, suggesting stronger top-down control and sensorimotor integration. Overall, theta band activity was closely tied to metacontrol processes, while alpha and beta bands played a role in resetting the neural system for upcoming tasks. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the neural substrates involved in metacontrol and conflict monitoring, emphasizing the distinct roles of different frequency bands in these cognitive processes.
了解元控制和冲突调节背后的神经机制对于洞察认知灵活性和持续性至关重要。本研究采用脑电图（EEG）、EEG波束形成和定向连接分析，以探索不同的元控制状态如何在神经生理水平上影响冲突调节。通过在改良的侧翼任务中改变各实验块中一致和不一致试验的频率来操纵元控制状态，并对行为和电生理测量进行分析。行为数据证实了实验操纵的有效性，表明在冲突调节增加期间，持续性偏差增加，灵活性偏差减少。在电生理方面，θ波段活动与行为数据平行，表明θ振荡反映了预期的元控制偏差与实际任务需求之间的不匹配。α和β波段动态在各实验块中有所不同，尽管这些变化并未直接反映行为效应。反应后的α和β活动在持续性偏差状态下更为明显，表明存在一种为未来认知需求做准备的神经重置机制。通过使用一种新颖的人工神经网络方法，定向连接分析显示在持续性状态下区域间通信增强，表明自上而下的控制和感觉运动整合更强。总体而言，θ波段活动与元控制过程密切相关，而α和β波段在为即将到来的任务重置神经系统方面发挥了作用。这些发现为参与元控制和冲突监测的神经基础提供了更深入的理解，强调了不同频段在这些认知过程中的独特作用。
