Challenging a decade of brain research on task switching: Brain activation in the task-switching paradigm reflects adaptation rather than reconfiguration of task sets

In daily life, we permanently need to adapt our behavior to new task situations, requiring cognitive control. Such adaptive processes are commonly investigated with the task‐switching paradigm. Many fMRI studies have interpreted stronger activation for switch than repeat trials in fronto‐parietal br...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Human brain mapping 2012-03, Vol.33 (3), p.639-651
Main Authors:	De Baene, Wouter, Kühn, Simone, Brass, Marcel
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	abstract representations adaptation Adaptation, Physiological - physiology Attention - physiology Bayes Theorem Biological and medical sciences Brain - physiology Brain Mapping Cognition. Intelligence cognitive control Cues Female Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology Humans Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted Intellectual and cognitive abilities Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects) Magnetic Resonance Imaging Male Medical sciences Nervous system Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry Psychology. Psychophysiology Psychomotor Performance - physiology Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry Reaction Time - physiology reconfiguration Task Performance and Analysis task switching Young Adult
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Summary:	In daily life, we permanently need to adapt our behavior to new task situations, requiring cognitive control. Such adaptive processes are commonly investigated with the task‐switching paradigm. Many fMRI studies have interpreted stronger activation for switch than repeat trials in fronto‐parietal brain areas as reflecting an active reconfiguration process in switch trials, tuning the cognitive system for proper task execution. From the single cell literature, however, one could deduce the alternative interpretation that switch‐specific activity reflects reduced brain activity in repeat trials due to adaptation. These alternative explanations cannot be distinguished by simply comparing brain activity in switch and repeat trials. Therefore, we used a parametric approach to examine which interpretation is more powerful to account for the data. In all areas of the fronto‐parietal network, adaptation explained the data better than reconfiguration. Therefore, our results call the classical reconfiguration interpretation into question and provide first evidence for adaptation of task representations. Hum Brain Mapp, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ISSN:	1065-9471 1097-0193