The neural response of the prefrontal cortex varies with the color difference in binocular rivalry: Evidence from...

Binocular color rivalry, a classical paradigm of visual conflict, provides a unique window into perceptual competition and cognitive control processes. In this study, we used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to investigate how the prefrontal cortex (PFC) dynamically responds to increasing the color difference in binocular rivalry and to determine the relationship between these neural responses and behaviors. Results revealed a nonlinear pattern of PFC activation with increasing the color difference, accompanied by posterior shifts in perceptual centroids and reductions in reaction time (RT), suggesting a tight coupling between perceptual processing and behavioral responses. Notably, centroid-based analysis proved more sensitive than traditional mean-based measures, revealing that the frontopolar area (FPA) exhibited significant differences even with small increases in dichoptic color differences, highlighting its role in finely monitoring perceptual competition. In contrast, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) showed significant engagement only when dichoptic color differences increased substantially, suggesting that it is primarily recruited for allocating attentional resources under stronger perceptual conflict. These findings illuminate how distinct PFC subregions contribute to the integration of perceptual and cognitive processes during visual conflict, offering new insights into the neural mechanisms underlying the coordination of sensory and cognitive information.