Distinct roles of alpha and theta oscillations in information-seeking in cognitive control

Cognitive control-the ability to regulate information processing in line with current goals-is essential for cognitive functioning. We examined whether uncertainty in cognitive control demands leads to higher processing of cues that reduce uncertainty. Participants completed a Go/NoGo task with two NoGo:Go ratios (4:5 and 1:6). Colored cues, either predictive (80%) or unpredictive (50%), preceded targets. Neurophysiological data were analyzed using time-frequency, beamforming, and aperiodic activity approaches. The behavioral results showed an effect of the cues only in the high uncertain (4:5), predictive cues (80%) condition, indicating that uncertainty in the demands of response inhibition makes people susceptible to external cues that can help resolve this uncertainty. Strong alpha band activity in the posterior cingulate cortex following cue onset in the 50% 4:5 condition suggested that alpha band activity plays a significant role in the suppression of cues irrelevant to the current task. We also observed significant theta band activity following target onset in the 80% condition, suggesting that only reliable cues influenced response selection. Aperiodic components showed no effects. These findings have implications toward understanding the relationship between information-seeking and uncertainty in the context of cognitive control and the role of periodic and aperiodic neural activity.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study provides novel evidence that under cognitive uncertainty, people strategically seek and process reliable external cues, extending prior work on uncertainty and information-seeking beyond simple choice or foraging tasks to complex cognitive control. Crucially, it dissociates the roles of alpha and theta oscillations in uncertainty resolution-alpha suppresses unreliable information early, whereas theta supports response selection based on cue reliability.