Involvement of both prefrontal and inferior parietal cortex in dual-task performance

Abstract

This PET study explored the neural substrate of both dual-task management and integration task using single tasks that are known not to evoke any prefrontal activation. The paradigm included two simple (visual and auditory) discrimination tasks, a dual task and an integration task (requiring simultaneous visual and auditory discrimination), and baseline tasks (passive viewing and hearing). Data were analyzed using SPM99. As predicted, the comparison of each single task to the baseline task showed no activity in prefrontal areas. The comparison of the dual task to the single tasks demonstrated left-sided foci of activity in the frontal gyrus (BA 9/46, BA 10/47 and BA 6), inferior parietal gyrus (BA 40), and cerebellum. By reference to previous neuroimaging studies, BA 9/46 was associated with the coordinated manipulation of simultaneously presented information, BA 10/47 with selection processes, BA 6 with articulatory rehearsal, and BA 40 with attentional shifting. Globally similar regions were found for the integration task, except that the inferior parietal gyrus was not recruited. These results confirm the hypothesis that the left prefrontal cortex is implicated in dual-task performance. Moreover, the involvement of a parietal area in the dual task is in keeping with the hypothesis that a parieto-frontal network sustains executive functioning. Theme: Neural basis of behaviorTopic: Cognition

Distinct contributions of the caudate nucleus, rostral prefrontal cortex, and parietal cortex to the execution of instructed tasks

“…For instance, Corbetta and Shulman (2002) noted that the inferior parietal region modulates the attentional processes needed to properly link visual stimuli with motor responses, and Collette et al (2005) observed that this region is more active when two tasks need to be performed concurrently (more interference in coupling information) than when the same cognitive operations are integrated in a single task (less interference when coupling information). Unlike the caudate nucleus, however, the inferior parietal gyrus shows signs of also being involved in maintaining the mental template during delay periods (Fig.…”

The impact of semantic impairment on verbal short-term memory in stroke aphasia and semantic dementia: A comparative study

“…The prefrontal cortex and temporoparietal junction are thought to form a single distributed system underpinning cognitive control, explaining why patients with lesions that encompass these two regions show similar behavioural deficits (see Peers et al, 2005). Prefrontal and temporoparietal cortex show coupled activation during the performance of attentional/executive tasks and are sensitive to manipulations of the executive component of working memory (Collette, Hogge, Salmon, & Van der Linden, 2006;Collette et al, 2005;Collette & Van der Linden, 2002;Crosson et al, 1999;Garavan, Ross, Li, & Stein, 2000).…”

Electrodermal responses to sources of dual-task interference

“…Although different researchers describe it somewhat differently, a consensus model has emerged of how these areas might be involved in executive control of dual-task processing. In this consensus model, the lateral prefrontal cortex is optimized for rapid, adaptive control that is not restricted to one modality (Dosenbach, Fair, Cohen, Schlaggar, & Petersen, 2008;Dosenbach et al, 2007;Dosenbach et al, 2006;Marois, Larson, Chun, & Shima, 2006) and that is involved in the fast adaptation of response sets and coordination of selection of a processing stream for behavioral action (selection-for-action) in situations with interfering information (Collette et al, 2005;Koechlin, Basso, Pietrini, Panzer, & Grafman, 1999;Schubert & Szameitat, 2003;Szameteit, Schubert, Müller, & Von Cramon, 2002). Medial areas, including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), are optimized for stable set maintenance.…”