Electrocorticographic correlates of cognitive control in a Stroop task-intracranial recording in epileptic patients

The human brain executes cognitive control, such as selection of relevant information in the presence of competing irrelevant information, and cognitive control is essential for us to yield a series of optimal behaviors in our daily life. This study assessed electrocorticographic γ-oscillations elicited by cognitive control in the context of the Stroop color-naming paradigm, with a temporal resolution of 10 msec and spatial resolution of 1 cm. Subjects were instructed to overtly read a color word printed in an incongruent color in the reading task, and to overtly name the ink color of a color word printed in an incongruent color in the Stroop color-naming task. The latter task specifically elicited larger γ-augmentations in the dorsolateral-premotor, dorsolateral-prefrontal and supplementary motor areas with considerable inter-subject spatial variability. Such Stroop color-naming-specific γ-augmentations occurred 500 to 200 msec prior to overt responses. Electrical stimulation of the sites showing Stroop color-naming-specific γ-augmentations resulted in temporary naming impairment more frequently than that of the remaining sites. This study has provided direct evidence that a critical process of cognitive control in the context of Stroop color-naming paradigm consists of recruitment of neurons essential for naming located in variable portions of the dorsolateral premotor and prefrontal areas.