article

Decomposing Components of Task Preparation with Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Authors:

D. Yves Von CramonAuthors Info & Claims

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, Volume 16, Issue 4

Pages 609 - 620

https://doi.org/10.1162/089892904323057335

Published: 01 May 2004 Publication History

Abstract

It is widely acknowledged that the prefrontal cortex plays a major role in cognitive control processes. One important experimental paradigm for investigating such higher order cognitive control is the task-switching paradigm. This paradigm investigates the ability to switch flexibly between different task situations. In this context, it has been found that participants are able to anticipatorily prepare an upcoming task. This ability has been assumed to reflect endogenous cognitive control. However, it is difficult to isolate task preparation process from task execution using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In the present study, we introduce a new experimental manipulation to investigate task preparation with fMRI. By manipulating the number of times a task was prepared, we could demonstrate that the left inferior frontal junction (IFJ) area (near the junction of inferior frontal sulcus and inferior precentral sulcus), the right inferior frontal gyrus, and the right intraparietal sulcus are involved in task preparation. By manipulating the cue-task mapping, we could further show that this activation is not related to cue encoding but to the updating of the relevant task representation. Based on these and previous results, we assume that the IFJ area constitutes a functionally separable division of the lateral prefrontal cortex. Finally, our data suggest that task preparation does not differ for switch and repetition trials in paradigms with a high proportion of switch trials, casting doubt on the assumption that an independent task set reconfiguration process takes place in the preparation interval.

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cover image Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience Volume 16, Issue 4

May 2004

211 pages

ISSN:0898-929X

EISSN:1530-8898

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MIT Press

Cambridge, MA, United States

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Published: 01 May 2004

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Cited By

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https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1162/jocn_a_00827
Leaver ELow KDiVacri AMerla AFabiani MGratton G(2015)The devil is in the detailJournal of Cognitive Neuroscience10.1162/jocn_a_0080027:8(1513-1527)Online publication date: 1-Aug-2015
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Baniqued PLow KFabiani MGratton G(2013)Frontoparietal traffic signalsJournal of Cognitive Neuroscience10.1162/jocn_a_0034125:6(887-902)Online publication date: 1-Jun-2013
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Wylie GMurray MJavitt DFoxe J(2009)Distinct neurophysiological mechanisms mediate mixing costs and switch costsJournal of Cognitive Neuroscience10.1162/jocn.2009.2100921:1(105-118)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2009
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Yehene EMeiran NSoroker N(2008)Basal ganglia play a unique role in task switching within the frontal-subcortical circuitsJournal of Cognitive Neuroscience10.1162/jocn.2008.2007720:6(1079-1093)Online publication date: 1-Jun-2008
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