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Concurrent working memory task decreases the Stroop interference effect as indexed by the decreased theta
1Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China.
Neuroscience
|January 11, 2014
Summary
Concurrent working memory (WM) tasks reduce Stroop interference. This effect, measured by theta-band oscillations, is linked to reduced cognitive control, particularly in frontal brain regions.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Working memory (WM) tasks can modulate cognitive control task interference.
- Neural mechanisms underlying WM's modulation of Stroop interference remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the neural oscillatory correlates of WM's modulation of Stroop interference.
- Examine how concurrent WM tasks affect Stroop task performance and associated brain activity.
Main Methods:
- Recorded behavioral and electroencephalographic (EEG) data from 32 healthy participants.
- Compared performance on single Stroop task versus a dual-task with concurrent WM.
- Analyzed theta-band event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) and response times (RTs).
Main Results:
- Stroop interference effect, in both RTs and theta-band ERSP, was reduced under dual-task conditions.
- Reduced theta-band ERSP interference positively correlated with reduced RT interference.
- Source localization indicated the left middle frontal gyrus as a key region.
Conclusions:
- Concurrent WM tasks reduce Stroop interference, indexed by theta-band oscillations in centro-frontal regions.
- This interference reduction is mediated by decreased cognitive control under dual-task demands.
- Findings highlight the role of theta-band activity in cognitive control modulation.
