Conflict adjustment through domain-specific multiple cognitive control mechanisms

Cognitive control is required to regulate conflict between relevant and irrelevant information. Although previous neuroimaging studies have focused on response conflict, recent studies suggested that distinct neural networks are recruited in regulating perceptual conflict. The aim of the current study was to distinguish between brain areas involved in detecting and regulating perceptual conflict using a conflict adjustment paradigm. The Stroop color-matching task was combined with an arrow version of the Stroop task in order to independently manipulate perceptual and response conflicts. Behavioral results showed that post-conflict adjustment for perceptual and response conflicts were independent from each other. Imaging results demonstrated that the caudal portion of the dorsal cingulate cortex (cdACC) was selectively associated with the occurrence of perceptual conflict, whereas the left dorsal portion of the premotor cortex (pre-PMd) was selectively associated with both preceding and current perceptual conflict trials. Furthermore, the rostral portion of the dorsal cingulate cortex (rdACC) was selectively linked with response conflict, whereas the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was selectively involved in both preceding and current response conflict trials. We suggest that cdACC is involved in detecting perceptual conflict and left pre-PMd is involved in regulating perceptual conflict, which is analogous to the recruitment of rdACC and left DLPFC in control processes for response conflict. Our findings provide support for the hypothesis that multiple independent monitor-controller loops are implemented in the frontal cognitive control system.

► Behavioral post-conflict adjustment for perceptual and response conflicts were independent.
► fMRI results suggest that the caudal dACC is involved in detecting perceptual conflict.
► Pre-PMd was selectively active in regulating perceptual conflict.
► The rostral dACC and DLPFC play role in detecting and regulating response conflict, respectively.
► The cognitive control system includes multiple independent monitor-controller loops.