Cognitive control during conflict monitoring, error processing, and post-error adjustment appear to be associated with the occurrence of midfrontal theta (MFϴ). While this association is supported by correlational EEG studies, much less is known about the possible causal link between MFϴ and error and conflict processing. In the present study, we aimed to explore the role of band-specific effects in modulating the error system during a conflict resolution. In turn, we delivered transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at different frequency bands (delta δ, theta θ, alpha α, beta β, gamma γ) and sham stimulation over the medial frontal cortex (MFC) in 36 healthy participants performing a modified version of the Flanker task. Task performance and reports about the sensations (e.g. visual flickering, cutaneous burning) induced by the different frequency bands, were also recorded. We found that online θ-tACS increased the response speed to congruent stimuli after error execution with respect to sham stimulation. Importantly, the accuracy following the errors did not decrease because of speed-accuracy trade off. Moreover, tACS evoked visual and somatosensory sensations were significantly stronger at α-tACS and β-tACS compared to other frequencies. Our findings suggest that theta activity plays a causative role in modulating behavioural adjustments during perceptual choices in a stimulus-response conflict task. © 2018 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Midfrontal theta transcranial alternating current stimulation modulates behavioural adjustment after error execution / Fusco, Gabriele; Scandola, Michele; Feurra, Matteo; Pavone, Enea Francesco; Rossi, Simone; Aglioti, Salvatore Maria. - In: EJN. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE. - ISSN 1460-9568. - 48:10(2018), pp. 3159-3170. [10.1111/ejn.14174]

Midfrontal theta transcranial alternating current stimulation modulates behavioural adjustment after error execution

Gabriele Fusco
Primo
;
Michele Scandola
Secondo
;
Enea Francesco Pavone;Salvatore Maria Aglioti
Ultimo
2018

Abstract

Cognitive control during conflict monitoring, error processing, and post-error adjustment appear to be associated with the occurrence of midfrontal theta (MFϴ). While this association is supported by correlational EEG studies, much less is known about the possible causal link between MFϴ and error and conflict processing. In the present study, we aimed to explore the role of band-specific effects in modulating the error system during a conflict resolution. In turn, we delivered transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at different frequency bands (delta δ, theta θ, alpha α, beta β, gamma γ) and sham stimulation over the medial frontal cortex (MFC) in 36 healthy participants performing a modified version of the Flanker task. Task performance and reports about the sensations (e.g. visual flickering, cutaneous burning) induced by the different frequency bands, were also recorded. We found that online θ-tACS increased the response speed to congruent stimuli after error execution with respect to sham stimulation. Importantly, the accuracy following the errors did not decrease because of speed-accuracy trade off. Moreover, tACS evoked visual and somatosensory sensations were significantly stronger at α-tACS and β-tACS compared to other frequencies. Our findings suggest that theta activity plays a causative role in modulating behavioural adjustments during perceptual choices in a stimulus-response conflict task. © 2018 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd
2018
Cognitive control; midfrontal theta; performance monitoring; post-error slowing; transcranial alternating current stimulation
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
Midfrontal theta transcranial alternating current stimulation modulates behavioural adjustment after error execution / Fusco, Gabriele; Scandola, Michele; Feurra, Matteo; Pavone, Enea Francesco; Rossi, Simone; Aglioti, Salvatore Maria. - In: EJN. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE. - ISSN 1460-9568. - 48:10(2018), pp. 3159-3170. [10.1111/ejn.14174]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1239368
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