Stroop performance in normal control subjects: an fMRI study

In an attempt to clarify regional signal intensity changes, which may accompany the performance of the Stroop Color-Word task, healthy subjects were imaged using the fMRI BOLD technique while performing a modified version of the task. Both the AAA and VOA subdivisions of the anterior cingulate cortex were significantly activated during the interference condition; however, only the signal intensity change within the VOA correlated with task performance. Additionally, signal intensity change was significantly increased in the VOA subdivision of the cingulate cortex when controlling for signal intensity change present during the performance of a color naming task. This study extends previous findings by demonstrating that in healthy adults, a subdivision of the cingulate cortex is specifically associated with the cognitive demands present in the interference condition.