Control of response interference: caudate nucleus contributes to selective inhibition

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• The role of cortical regions in cognitive control is established.
• The contribution of subcortical structures, like the striatum, to response interference control is debated.
• Selective inhibition is a key component of cognitive control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying response interference control.
• To specifically examine the role of subcortical structures, particularly the caudate nucleus, in selective inhibition.
• To explore the interplay between cortical and subcortical regions in cognitive control.

Main Methods:

• Event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used.
• Thirteen healthy young participants performed a unimanual Simon task.
• Behavioral data were analyzed using distributional analyses of response times.

Main Results:

• An asymmetrical Simon effect was observed, stronger in the contralateral hemifield.
• fMRI revealed significant activation in the right anterior cingulate cortex, right posterior insula, and bilateral caudate nucleus when resolving response conflicts.
• Activation in the bilateral caudate nucleus correlated with parameters of selective inhibition.

Conclusions:

• Cognitive control of response interference involves fronto-striatal circuitry.
• The caudate nucleus contributes functionally to the selective inhibition of interfering response tendencies.
• This study provides evidence for subcortical involvement in cognitive control processes.