Associative learning and cognitive control

1
Associative learning and cognitive control

• Eddy J. Davelaar Geoff Bird

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Botvinick, et al., 2001 Jones, et al., 2002 Cho,
et al., 2002 Botvinick, et al., 2004 Yeung, et
al., 2004
Incongruent trials (gtltgt) slower than congruent
trials (ltltlt) ? flanker effect
Flanker effect smaller if the previous trial was
an incongruent trial ? Gratton effect
Explained by a computational model that assumes
that response conflict is monitored by the ACC,
is increased for incongruent trials, and sharpens
attention on the next trial.

• However, the Gratton effect (the interaction) is
  only observed when target/response repeats across
  trials
• Priming account of the Gratton effect
• Mayr, et al., 2003 Nieuwenhuis, et al., 2006

1) IF learning from array to response plan THEN
stronger functional connectivity for iI and cC
trials in repeats compared to non-repeats 2) IF
conflict-modulated attention THEN stronger
connectivity between conflict area and attention
area
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This is a DCM study 2-step process 1) localise
relevant voxels 2) Apply DCM to those
voxels Stimuli C gtgtgtgtgt, ltltltltlt I ltltgtltlt, gtgtltgtgt
N --gt--, --lt-- Localisers Decision I minus C
(DLPFC) Identity full-array adaptation Conflict
I minus C (ACC/pre-SMA) Attention IC-N Design
Scanning Parameters 2 runs 19mins each separated
by structural scan. Scanner time 60mins per
subject including set-up. 14 subjects (14hr
scanner time in total). Event-related design,
Stimulus response period (1.5s) blank ISI (mean
3s, 2-4s range). Random sequence of events.
Whole cortex coverage (no cerebellum). TR 2.7s,
30slices, 3.5mm, 10 gap.
nonrepeat nonrepeat repeat repeat
I C I C
i 36 36 36 36
c 36 36 36 36
n 36 36 36 36
72 null events 72 null events 72 null events 72 null events 72 null events
1.5s
Mean 3s
gtgtltgtgt
4
Conflict area (ACC/pre-SMA)
WC
Decision area (DLPFC)
Attention area (PPC/FEF)
WL
Stimulus area (temporal)
Wi b1(previous trial-type) b2(target/response
repetition) Priming account b1?0, b2gt0 Conflict
account b1gt0, b20