Investigating the relationship between resting-state EEG microstates and executive functions: A null finding

Abstract

Recent advances in cognitive neurosciences suggest that intrinsic brain networks dynamics are associated with cognitive functioning. Despite this emerging perspective, limited research exists to validate this hypothesis. This Registered Report aimed to specifically test the relationship between intrinsic brain spatio-temporal dynamics and executive functions. Resting-state EEG microstates were used to assess brain spatio-temporal dynamics, while a comprehensive battery of nine cognitive function tasks was employed to evaluate executive functions in 140 participants. We hypothesized that microstates (class C and D) metrics would correlate with an executive functions composite score. Contrary to expectations, our hypotheses were not supported by the data. We however observed a small, non-significant trend with a negative correlation between microstate D occurrences and executive functions scores (r = −.18, 95% CI [−.33, −.01]) which however did not meet the adjusted threshold for significance. In light of the inconclusive or minor effect sizes observed, the assertion that intrinsic brain networks dynamics − as measured by resting-state EEG microstate metrics − are a reliable signature of executive functioning remains unsupported.