TY - JOUR
T1 - Frontal cortex differentiates between free and imposed target selection in multiple-target search
AU - Ort, Eduard
AU - Fahrenfort, Johannes J
AU - Reeder, Reshanne
AU - Pollmann, Stefan
AU - Olivers, Christian N L
N1 - Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2019/11/15
Y1 - 2019/11/15
N2 - Cognitive control can involve proactive (preparatory) and reactive (corrective) mechanisms. Using a gaze-contingent eye tracking paradigm combined with fMRI, we investigated the involvement of these different modes of control and their underlying neural networks, when switching between different targets in multiple-target search. Participants simultaneously searched for two possible targets presented among distractors, and selected one of them. In one condition, only one of the targets was available in each display, so that the choice was imposed, and reactive control would be required. In the other condition, both targets were present, giving observers free choice over target selection, and allowing for proactive control. Switch costs emerged only when targets were imposed and not when target selection was free. We found differential levels of activity in the frontoparietal control network depending on whether target switches were free or imposed. Furthermore, we observed core regions of the default mode network to be active during target repetitions, indicating reduced control on these trials. Free and imposed switches jointly activated parietal and posterior frontal cortices, while free switches additionally activated anterior frontal cortices. These findings highlight unique contributions of proactive and reactive control during visual search.
AB - Cognitive control can involve proactive (preparatory) and reactive (corrective) mechanisms. Using a gaze-contingent eye tracking paradigm combined with fMRI, we investigated the involvement of these different modes of control and their underlying neural networks, when switching between different targets in multiple-target search. Participants simultaneously searched for two possible targets presented among distractors, and selected one of them. In one condition, only one of the targets was available in each display, so that the choice was imposed, and reactive control would be required. In the other condition, both targets were present, giving observers free choice over target selection, and allowing for proactive control. Switch costs emerged only when targets were imposed and not when target selection was free. We found differential levels of activity in the frontoparietal control network depending on whether target switches were free or imposed. Furthermore, we observed core regions of the default mode network to be active during target repetitions, indicating reduced control on these trials. Free and imposed switches jointly activated parietal and posterior frontal cortices, while free switches additionally activated anterior frontal cortices. These findings highlight unique contributions of proactive and reactive control during visual search.
KW - Eye movements
KW - Functional magnetic resonance imaging
KW - Proactive cognitive control
KW - Reactive cognitive control
KW - Visual attention
KW - Visual search
U2 - 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116133
DO - 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116133
M3 - Article (journal)
C2 - 31472251
SN - 1053-8119
VL - 202
SP - 116133
JO - NeuroImage
JF - NeuroImage
M1 - 116133
ER -