Superior frontal regions reflect the dynamics of task engagement and theta band-related control processes in time-on task effects

Shijing Yu,Christian Beste,Moritz Mückschel

doi:10.1038/s41598-022-04972-y

Abstract

Impairment of cognitive performance is often observed in time-on tasks. Theoretical considerations suggest that especially prefrontal cortex cognitive control functions is affected by time-on-task effects, but the role of effort/task engagement is not understood. We examine time-on-task effects in cognitive control on a neurophysiological level using a working-memory modulated response inhibition task and inter-relate prefrontal neuroanatomical region-specific theta-band activity with pupil diameter data using EEG-beamforming approaches. We show that task performance declines with time-on tasks, which was paralleled by a concomitant decreases of task-evoked superior frontal gyrus theta-band activity and a reduction in phasic pupil diameter modulations. A strong relation between cognitive control-related superior frontal theta-band activity and effort/task engagement indexed by phasic pupil diameter modulations was observed in the beginning of the experiment, especially for tasks requiring inhibitory controls and demanding high working memory. This strong relation vanished at the end of the experiment, suggesting a decoupling of cognitive control resources useable for a task and effort invested that characterizes time-on-task effects in prefrontal cortical structures.

Highlights

Impairment of cognitive performance is often observed in time-on tasks
We examine time-on-task effects in cognitive control on a neurophysiological level using a working-memory modulated response inhibition task and inter-relate prefrontal neuroanatomical regionspecific neurophysiological data focusing on theta-band activity (TBA) with pupil diameter data
All of the N = 27 subjects had a Beck’s Depression Inventory(BDI) score lower than 10, which shows that participants revealed no depressive symptoms[60]

Summary

Introduction

Impairment of cognitive performance is often observed in time-on tasks. Theoretical considerations suggest that especially prefrontal cortex cognitive control functions is affected by time-on-task effects, but the role of effort/task engagement is not understood. We examine time-on-task effects in cognitive control on a neurophysiological level using a working-memory modulated response inhibition task and inter-relate prefrontal neuroanatomical region-specific theta-band activity with pupil diameter data using EEG-beamforming approaches. We examine time-on-task effects in cognitive control on a neurophysiological level using a working-memory modulated response inhibition task and inter-relate prefrontal neuroanatomical regionspecific neurophysiological data focusing on theta-band activity (TBA) with pupil diameter data. The reasons for this are as follows: According to Kurzban et al.[5], time-on-task effects (opportunity costs) should be strong when performing several tasks depending on prefrontal cortex functions ‘simultaneously’. It is reasonable to hypothesize the correlation between pupil diameter and TBA becomes weaker with time on task

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Conclusion