Brain Functional Mechanisms in Attentional Processing Following Modified Conflict Stroop Task

Abstract

Background: Cognitive control of brain regions can be determined by the tasks involving the cognitive control such as the color word Stroop task. Stroop task define the reduction in function in incongruent condition, which requires more attention and control of competitive responses. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the activity of brain using the Modified Conflict Stroop Task in Military Personnel. Material and Methods: In this applied experimental study, to specify the activity of different regions of brain in response to conflict Persian color-word Stroop task, 20 healthy persons participated in this study. To evaluate selective attention, the traditional color-word Stroop Task Model was modified, and the Stroop test was designed in high- and low-threat zones. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to evaluate the brain activation during the Stroop task performance. The color-word Stroop task consists of incongruent, congruent, and neutral conditions, and the subjects were requested to carefully choose the correct answer. Results: The mean response time was longer in incongruent condition (867.6±193.5ms) compared to congruent and neutral conditions. Analysis of neuroimaging data revealed that the brain conflict-related regions are activated by the Stroop interference. In incongruent trial, the superior frontal gyrus (SFG) and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) showed the most active and stronger BOLD responses. In congruent trials, the activation in the brain was less and had difference compared with incongruent trials. Conclusion: Our result offers that the frontal cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex are sensitive to different trials of Persian Stroop task. Using modified Stroop task, we determined the brain responses to the selective attention test.

From functional neuroimaging to neurostimulation: fNIRS devices as cognitive enhancers

“…fMRI studies (e.g., Blasi et al, 2006 ) consistently suggested an activation of the DLPFC in relation to tasks (including the Stroop test) that require cognitive control. It is known that the prefrontal region plays a significant role during both congruent and incongruent trials of the Stroop task (Jalalvandi et al, 2020 ). Given its location in the frontal lobes, the DLPFC might be the key neural region that our NIR light stimulation could stimulate, and its involvement may be responsible for the better performance at the eStroop task.…”

“…Similarly, it has been shown that PBM may enhance attentional capabilities during a Go/No-Go task (Jahan et al, 2019 ). Recently, the results of a study by Zhu et al ( 2022 ) showed that besides a global cognitive function, PBM supported domain-specific effects improving attention, executive function, and working memory, while no amelioration was found in other subdomains of memory, like naming and visuospatial abilities. However, it is important to note that the three domains associated with PBM exist in a complex relationship.…”

“…Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a neuroimaging technique that has gained increasing attention in recent years due to its safeness, transportability, good tolerance to movement-derived artifacts and practicality with hard-to-test populations (Lloyd-Fox et al, 2010 ). These characteristics endow fNIRS with greater ecological validity than traditional neuroimaging methods such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) (Pinti et al, 2020 ).…”

“…NIR light interacts with CCO inside the mitochondria, restoring electron transport chain activity (Hamblin, 2018 ; Hennessy & Hamblin, 2017 ) and, therefore, improving energy metabolism. Indeed, there is evidence to suggest that sodium azide, a CCO inhibitor, moderates the impact of PBM (Spitler et al, 2015 ). Moreover, since CCO is an adaptive enzyme, the effects are long-lasting (Zomorrodi et al, 2019 ).…”

“…For instance, recent animal studies suggest that PBM applied shortly after a traumatic brain injury attenuates its impact (Shemesh et al, 2022 ) and there is an indication that PBM may improve the cognitive function of adults with traumatic brain injury (Naeser et al, 2011 , 2014 ). Further evidence suggests that PBM may assist in managing the cognitive decline associated with ageing (Vargas et al, 2017 ), dementia (Nizamutdinov et al, 2021 ), and neurodegeneration (Arias et al, 2016 ; Méndez et al, 2021 ). Animal experiments suggest that PBM can improve spatial working memory in mice (Michalikova et al, 2008 ), and increase functional activity during the execution of a reversal task in rats (Gutiérrez-Menéndez et al, 2021 ).…”