Concurrent working memory task increases or decreases the flanker-related N2 amplitude.

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Electrophysiology

Background:

• Concurrent working memory (WM) tasks can deplete attentional resources needed for other cognitive tasks.
• The effect of WM load on flanker-related N2 amplitude remains controversial, with differing views on its relation to attentional control versus response conflict.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how varying working memory (WM) load affects attentional control resources during a flanker task.
• To clarify the role of the flanker-related N2 amplitude in cognitive control and response conflict.

Main Methods:

• Participants performed a flanker task under low, middle, and high concurrent WM load conditions.
• Electroencephalography (EEG) was used to record event-related potentials (ERPs), specifically focusing on the N2 component.

Main Results:

• Flanker-related N2 amplitude was significantly larger under middle and high WM load conditions compared to low WM load.
• Increasing WM load from middle to high did not further increase flanker-related N2 amplitude.
• These findings indicate that WM load impairs top-down cognitive control, affecting flanker task performance.

Conclusions:

• Working memory load modulates top-down attentional control resource allocation, as reflected by the flanker-related N2 amplitude.
• The study supports the view that flanker-related N2 processes are linked to attentional control, challenging the notion that they solely reflect response conflict.