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Self-reported Mind Wandering and Response Time Variability Differentiate Prestimulus Electroencephalogram Microstate
Anthony P Zanesco1, Ekaterina Denkova1, Amishi P Jha1
1University of Miami.
Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
|October 15, 2020
Summary
Brain activity fluctuations, measured by electroencephalogram (EEG) microstates, differentiate task focus from mind wandering. These distinct brain states and their millisecond dynamics reveal insights into attention and cognitive control.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Psychology
Background:
- Spontaneous brain activity fluctuates during sustained attention, potentially reflecting task focus versus mind wandering.
- The precise electrophysiological brain states and their dynamics linked to mind wandering remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between electroencephalogram (EEG) microstate temporal dynamics and self-reported mind wandering.
- To determine if specific microstates can differentiate between on-task and off-task states.
Main Methods:
- Participants (n=36) performed a sustained attention task with intermittent experience sampling probes.
- Broadband EEG was recorded and segmented into microstates using data-driven clustering of topographic voltage patterns.
- Microstate temporal dynamics were analyzed in relation to on-task versus mind-wandering states and response time variability.
Main Results:
- Specific EEG microstates, characterized by their strength, prevalence, and rate of occurrence, differentiated on-task from off-task moments.
- These microstate dynamics were particularly evident in prestimulus epochs preceding task probes.
- Similar associations were found between microstates and response time variability.
Conclusions:
- Distinct EEG microstates and their millisecond dynamics are sensitive indicators of the subjective experience of mind wandering.
- This study provides electrophysiological evidence for distinct brain network states associated with attentional focus and mind wandering.
