Changes in BOLD variability are linked to the development of variable response inhibition

Abstract

Highlights This is the first study to investigate the development of response inhibition focussing on variability. We examined intraindividual variability both in stopping latencies and the underlying neural circuitry. There were no developmental differences in mean response inhibition, yet clear differences in performance variability. This, in turn, was associated with developmental differences in brain signal variability. Behavioral and neural variability indices might be a more sensitive measure of developmental differences in inhibition.

The right inferior frontal gyrus as pivotal node and effective regulator of the basal ganglia-thalamocortical response inhibition circuit

“…To this end directed causal influences between the key regions including IFG, Cau, GP and Thal in the basal gangliathalamocortical loop and their modulation via experimental manipulations (engagement of motor inhibitory control) were examined. In line with previous neuroimaging studies and meta-analyses demonstrating a right-lateralized inhibition model (right model) encompassing the rIFG, rCau, rGP, rThal (Aron et al, 2003;Chevrier et al, 2007;Hung et al, 2018;Jahfari et al, 2011;Thompson et al, 2021) our main hypothesis testing focused on the right lateralized network. To further validate the hemispheric asymmetry of the inhibitory control network an identical model was tested for the left hemisphere including the lIFG, lCau, lGP, and lThal.…”

“…Causal modelling successfully determined a right lateralized inhibitory control causal circuit encompassing the rIFG, rCau, rGP and rThal (Aron et al, 2003; Chevrier et al, 2007; Hung et al, 2018; Jahfari et al, 2011; Thompson et al, 2021). In terms of the A matrix, a significant rIFG-rCau-rGP-rThal loop was observed with rIFG exhibiting a negative influence onto rThal, alongside a positive information flow from from rThal to rGP and rCau to rIFG in the forward direction.…”

“…We capitalized on a combination of recent progress in biologically plausible causal hierarchical modelling (DCM-PEB) and a comparably large fMRI response inhibition dataset to determine causal information flow and key nodes within the extensively described basal ganglia-thalamocortical response inhibition circuits (Alexander et al, 1986(Alexander et al, , 1991Alexander and Crutcher, 1990;Aron et al, 2007;Jahfari et al, 2019;Morein-Zamir and Robbins, 2015;Pfeifer et al, 2022;Schall and Godlove, 2012;Stuphorn, 2015;Verbruggen and Logan, 2009;Wei and Wang, 2016) Causal modelling successfully determined a right lateralized inhibitory control causal circuit encompassing the rIFG, rCau, rGP and rThal (Aron et al, 2003;Chevrier et al, 2007;Hung et al, 2018;Jahfari et al, 2011;Thompson et al, 2021). In terms of the A matrix, a significant rIFG-rCau-rGP-rThal loop was observed with rIFG exhibiting a negative influence onto rThal, alongside a positive information flow from from rThal to rGP and rCau to rIFG in the forward direction.…”

“…sex, Li et al, 2006; Ribeiro et al, 2021; Sjoberg and Cole, 2018) and performance variations (Chang et al, 2020; Jahfari et al, 2011; Wei and Wang, 2016; Xu et al, 2016) with better response inhibition being associated with stronger causal regulation in the inhibition circuitry. Finally, we hypothesized a different causal structure for the left and right models given the hemispheric asymmetry in the inhibitory network (Aron et al, 2003; Chevrier et al, 2007; Hung et al, 2018; Jahfari et al, 2011; Thompson et al, 2021).…”

“…Convergent evidence from human lesion studies and neuroimaging meta-analyses demonstrates a right-lateralized inhibitory control network encompassing the right IFG (rIFG), right caudate nucleus (rCau), right globus pallidum (rGP) and right thalamus (rThal) 5 (Aron et al, 2003;Chevrier et al, 2007;Garavan et al, 1999;Hung et al, 2018;Jahfari et al, 2011;Thompson et al, 2021). However, while extensive research has highlighted the critical role of these regions within a right-lateralized inhibitory control circuitry, the causal information flow and critical contribution of single nodes within this network have not been determined.…”