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Role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in processing temporal anomalies retained in working memory
Pierandrea Mirino1,2, Alessandro Quaglieri3, Gabriele Scozia1
1Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
|November 26, 2024
Summary
The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activates during time processing tasks. Interestingly, DLPFC deactivates when temporal anomalies are detected, indicating reduced cognitive load when timing is irrelevant.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
- Human Behavior
Background:
- Time perception is a fundamental cognitive function.
- Working memory (WM) is essential for processing temporal information.
- The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is implicated in time processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of the DLPFC in time processing using fNIRS.
- To examine how the DLPFC responds to temporal sequences with fixed and variable durations.
Main Methods:
- Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was employed to measure DLPFC activity.
- A modified "Times Squares Sequences" (TSS) task assessed participants' ability to match temporal sequences.
- Stimuli included sequences of squares with fixed or variable durations.
Main Results:
- DLPFC activation was observed when online maintenance of temporal information was required for comparison.
- A significant deactivation of the DLPFC occurred upon detection of a temporal anomaly.
- This deactivation suggests reduced cognitive resource demand when temporal aspects are irrelevant to task goals.
Conclusions:
- The DLPFC plays a critical role in maintaining temporal information for cognitive tasks.
- Temporal anomalies can lead to DLPFC deactivation, highlighting the role of implicit temporal interference.
- This study establishes a link between timing, working memory, and executive functions.
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