Abstract
The medial right frontal cortex is implicated in fast stopping of an initiated motor action in the stop-signal task (SST).
To assess whether this region is also involved in the slower behavioural inhibition induced by goal conflict, we tested for
effects of goal conflict (when stop and go tendencies are balanced) on low-frequency rhythms in the SST. Stop trials were
divided, according to the delays at which the stop signal occurred, into short-, intermediate-, and long-delay trials. Consistent
with goal-conflict processing, intermediate-delay trials were associated with greater 7–8 Hz EEG power than short- or long-delay
trials at medial right frontal sites (Fz, F4, and F8). At F8, 7–8 Hz power was linked to high trait anxiety and neuroticism.
A separate 4–7 Hz power increase was also seen in stop, relative to go, trials, but this was independent of delay, was maximal
at the central midline site Cz, and predicted faster stopping. Together with previous data on the SST, these results suggest
that the right frontal region could be involved in multiple inhibition mechanisms. We propose a hierarchical model of the
control of stopping that integrates the literature on the neural control of fast motor stopping with that on slower, motive-directed
behavioural inhibition.
To assess whether this region is also involved in the slower behavioural inhibition induced by goal conflict, we tested for
effects of goal conflict (when stop and go tendencies are balanced) on low-frequency rhythms in the SST. Stop trials were
divided, according to the delays at which the stop signal occurred, into short-, intermediate-, and long-delay trials. Consistent
with goal-conflict processing, intermediate-delay trials were associated with greater 7–8 Hz EEG power than short- or long-delay
trials at medial right frontal sites (Fz, F4, and F8). At F8, 7–8 Hz power was linked to high trait anxiety and neuroticism.
A separate 4–7 Hz power increase was also seen in stop, relative to go, trials, but this was independent of delay, was maximal
at the central midline site Cz, and predicted faster stopping. Together with previous data on the SST, these results suggest
that the right frontal region could be involved in multiple inhibition mechanisms. We propose a hierarchical model of the
control of stopping that integrates the literature on the neural control of fast motor stopping with that on slower, motive-directed
behavioural inhibition.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-9
- DOI 10.3758/s13415-011-0046-x
- Authors
- Phoebe S.-H. Neo, Department of Psychology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054 New Zealand
- Jane K. Thurlow, Department of Psychology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054 New Zealand
- Neil McNaughton, Department of Psychology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054 New Zealand
- Journal Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience
- Online ISSN 1531-135X
- Print ISSN 1530-7026