Anticipation of a mentally effortful task recruits Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex: An fNIRS validation study. (4th February 2019)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- Anticipation of a mentally effortful task recruits Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex: An fNIRS validation study. (4th February 2019)
- Main Title:
- Anticipation of a mentally effortful task recruits Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex: An fNIRS validation study
- Authors:
- Vassena, Eliana
Gerrits, Robin
Demanet, Jelle
Verguts, Tom
Siugzdaite, Roma - Abstract:
- Abstract: Preparing for a mentally demanding task calls upon cognitive and motivational resources. The underlying neural implementation of these mechanisms is receiving growing attention because of its implications for professional, social, and medical contexts. While several fMRI studies converge in assigning a crucial role to a cortico-subcortical network including Anterior Cigulate Cortex (ACC) and striatum, the involvement of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC) during mental effort anticipation has yet to be replicated. This study was designed to target DLPFC contribution to anticipation of a difficult task using functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), as a more cost-effective tool measuring cortical hemodynamics. We adapted a validated mental effort task, where participants performed easy and difficult mental calculation, and measured DLPFC activity during the anticipation phase. As hypothesized, DLPFC activity increased during anticipation of a hard task as compared to an easy task. Besides replicating previous fMRI work, these results establish fNIRS as an effective tool to investigate cortical contributions to anticipation of effortful behavior. This is especially useful if one requires testing large samples (e.g., to target individual differences), populations with contraindication for functional MRI (e.g., infants or patients with metal implants), or subjects in more naturalistic environments (e.g., work or sport). Highlights: Anticipating a mentallyAbstract: Preparing for a mentally demanding task calls upon cognitive and motivational resources. The underlying neural implementation of these mechanisms is receiving growing attention because of its implications for professional, social, and medical contexts. While several fMRI studies converge in assigning a crucial role to a cortico-subcortical network including Anterior Cigulate Cortex (ACC) and striatum, the involvement of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC) during mental effort anticipation has yet to be replicated. This study was designed to target DLPFC contribution to anticipation of a difficult task using functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), as a more cost-effective tool measuring cortical hemodynamics. We adapted a validated mental effort task, where participants performed easy and difficult mental calculation, and measured DLPFC activity during the anticipation phase. As hypothesized, DLPFC activity increased during anticipation of a hard task as compared to an easy task. Besides replicating previous fMRI work, these results establish fNIRS as an effective tool to investigate cortical contributions to anticipation of effortful behavior. This is especially useful if one requires testing large samples (e.g., to target individual differences), populations with contraindication for functional MRI (e.g., infants or patients with metal implants), or subjects in more naturalistic environments (e.g., work or sport). Highlights: Anticipating a mentally effortful task recruits DLPFC, measured by fMRI. fNIRS is a cost-effective method to measure cortical activity (oxyhemoglobin). This study validates the use of fNIRS to measure difficulty anticipation in DLPFC. Anticipating a hard task is associated with increased oxyhemoglobin in DLPFC. fNIRS can be used in studies investigating the role of DLPFC in mental effort. … (more)
- Is Part Of:
- Neuropsychologia. Volume 123(2019)
- Journal:
- Neuropsychologia
- Issue:
- Volume 123(2019)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 123, Issue 2019 (2019)
- Year:
- 2019
- Volume:
- 123
- Issue:
- 2019
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2019-0123-2019-0000
- Page Start:
- 106
- Page End:
- 115
- Publication Date:
- 2019-02-04
- Subjects:
- Mental effort -- Difficulty anticipation -- Task preparation -- DLPFC -- fNIRS -- Difficulty -- Mental arithmetic
Neuropsychology -- Periodicals
Neurology -- Periodicals
Psychophysiology -- Periodicals
Neuropsychologie -- Périodiques
Neuropsychology
Periodicals
Electronic journals
616.8 - Journal URLs:
- http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00283932 ↗
http://www.elsevier.com/journals ↗ - DOI:
- 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.04.033 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 0028-3932
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library DSC - 6081.550000
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