Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 7, 2026

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions
10:38

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions

Published on: July 16, 2015

The electrophysiological dynamics of interference during the Stroop task.

Simon Hanslmayr1, Bernhard Pastötter, Karl-Heinz Bäuml

  • 1Department of Experimental Psychology, Regensburg University, Regensburg, Germany. simon.hanslmayr@psychologie.uni-regensburg.de

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
|February 16, 2008
PubMed
Summary

The brain processes interference in the Stroop task by activating the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) around 400 milliseconds. Cognitive control mechanisms are then engaged through sustained neural coupling between the ACC and prefrontal cortex.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Theta band activity during event-file retrieval is influenced by stimulus salience in the preceding action episode.

Cortex; a journal devoted to the study of the nervous system and behavior·2026
Same author

It's not just the phase: Frequency-dependent tuning of neuronal firing.

PLoS biology·2026
Same author

Explaining SCAN connectivity and hyperconnectivity through psychological theories of perception-action binding.

Frontiers in human neuroscience·2026
Same author

Pre-stimulus alpha power modulates trial-by-trial variability in theta rhythmic multisensory entrainment strength and theta-induced memory effect.

Communications psychology·2026
Same author

Characterizing neuronal and population responses to electrical stimulation in the human hippocampo-cortical network.

Brain stimulation·2025
Same author

Cortical-layer EEG-fMRI at 7T: experimental setup and analysis pipeline to elucidate generating mechanisms of alpha oscillations.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Neuroimaging
  • Psychology

Background:

  • The Stroop effect demonstrates interference between word meaning and ink color, slowing reaction times.
  • The neural mechanisms underlying this cognitive interference remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the brain's response to interference during the Stroop task using electroencephalography (EEG).
  • To identify specific brain regions and neural oscillations involved in processing cognitive interference.

Main Methods:

  • Electroencephalography (EEG) was employed to record brain activity.
  • Analysis included event-related potentials (ERPs), source localization, and time-frequency analysis of theta oscillations.
  • Phase coupling between brain regions was examined.

More Related Videos

Examining Bilingual Language Control Using the Stroop Task
05:31

Examining Bilingual Language Control Using the Stroop Task

Published on: February 26, 2020

Disruption of Frontal Lobe Neural Synchrony During Cognitive Control by Alcohol Intoxication
09:26

Disruption of Frontal Lobe Neural Synchrony During Cognitive Control by Alcohol Intoxication

Published on: February 6, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 7, 2026

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions
10:38

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions

Published on: July 16, 2015

Examining Bilingual Language Control Using the Stroop Task
05:31

Examining Bilingual Language Control Using the Stroop Task

Published on: February 26, 2020

Disruption of Frontal Lobe Neural Synchrony During Cognitive Control by Alcohol Intoxication
09:26

Disruption of Frontal Lobe Neural Synchrony During Cognitive Control by Alcohol Intoxication

Published on: February 6, 2019

Main Results:

  • Increased fronto-central negativity in ERPs around 400 ms for incongruent stimuli, originating from the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC).
  • Theta oscillations (4-7 Hz) in the ACC showed a linear increase with interference.
  • Sustained phase coupling between the ACC and left prefrontal cortex for incongruent items around 600 ms.

Conclusions:

  • Stroop task interference is primarily processed by the ACC starting around 400 ms.
  • Subsequent sustained neural coupling between the ACC and prefrontal cortex likely mediates cognitive control.