{"title":"Causal investigation of mid-frontal theta activity in memory guided visual search.","authors":"Wen Wen, Simeng Guo, Hui Huang, Sheng Li","doi":"10.1080/17588928.2023.2227787","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Midfrontal theta activity is crucial for attentional and cognitive control. However, its causal role in facilitating visual search, particularly from the perspective of distractor inhibition, is yet to be discovered. We applied theta band transcranial alternate current stimulation (tACS) over frontocentral regions when participants searched for targets among heterogeneous distractors with foreknowledge of distractor features. The results demonstrated improved visual search performance in the theta stimulation group compared to the active sham group. Moreover, we observed the facilitation effect of the distractor cue only in participants who exhibited larger inhibition benefits, which further confirms the role of theta stimulation in precise attentional control. Taken together, our results provide compelling causal evidence for the involvement of midfrontal theta activity in memory-guided visual search.</p>","PeriodicalId":10413,"journal":{"name":"Cognitive Neuroscience","volume":"14 3","pages":"115-120"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0000,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Cognitive Neuroscience","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17588928.2023.2227787","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"NEUROSCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Midfrontal theta activity is crucial for attentional and cognitive control. However, its causal role in facilitating visual search, particularly from the perspective of distractor inhibition, is yet to be discovered. We applied theta band transcranial alternate current stimulation (tACS) over frontocentral regions when participants searched for targets among heterogeneous distractors with foreknowledge of distractor features. The results demonstrated improved visual search performance in the theta stimulation group compared to the active sham group. Moreover, we observed the facilitation effect of the distractor cue only in participants who exhibited larger inhibition benefits, which further confirms the role of theta stimulation in precise attentional control. Taken together, our results provide compelling causal evidence for the involvement of midfrontal theta activity in memory-guided visual search.
期刊介绍:
Cognitive Neuroscience publishes high quality discussion papers and empirical papers on any topic in the field of cognitive neuroscience including perception, attention, memory, language, action, social cognition, and executive function. The journal covers findings based on a variety of techniques such as fMRI, ERPs, MEG, TMS, and focal lesion studies. Contributions that employ or discuss multiple techniques to shed light on the spatial-temporal brain mechanisms underlying a cognitive process are encouraged.