Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

In the human brain, a network of frontal and parietal regions is commonly recruited during tasks that demand the deliberate, focused control of thought and action. Previously, using a simple target detection task, we reported striking differences in the selectivity of the BOLD response in anatomically distinct subregions of this network. In particular, it was observed that the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) followed a tightly tuned function, selectively responding only to the current target object. Here, we examine this functional specialization further, using adapted versions of our original task. Our results demonstrate that the response of the right IFG to targets is a strong and replicable phenomenon. It occurs under increased attentional load, when targets and distractors are equally frequent, and when controlling for inhibitory processes. These findings support the hypothesis that the right IFG responds selectively to those items that are of the most relevance to the currently intended task schema.

Original publication

DOI

10.3758/CABN.9.1.103

Type

Journal article

Journal

Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci

Publication Date

03/2009

Volume

9

Pages

103 - 112

Keywords

Adult, Analysis of Variance, Attention, Brain Mapping, Frontal Lobe, Functional Laterality, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Neuropsychological Tests, Oxygen, Pattern Recognition, Visual, Photic Stimulation, Reaction Time, Signal Detection, Psychological, Young Adult