Right inferior frontal gyrus implements motor inhibitory control via beta-band oscillations in humans
Motor inhibitory control implemented as response inhibition is an essential cognitive function required to dynamically adapt to rapidly changing environments. Despite over a decade of research on the neural mechanisms of response inhibition, it remains unclear, how exactly response inhibition is initiated and implemented. Using a multimodal MEG/fMRI approach in 59 subjects, our results reliably reveal that response inhibition is initiated by the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) as a form of attention-independent top-down control that involves the modulation of beta-band activity. Furthermore, stopping performance was predicted by beta-band power, and beta-band connectivity was directed f…
Cortical network mechanisms of response inhibition
SummaryBoth the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) and the pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) are crucial for successful response inhibition. However, the particular functional roles of those two regions have been controversially debated for more than a decade now. It is unclear whether the rIFG directly initiates stopping or serves an attentional function, whereas the stopping is triggered by the pre-SMA. The current multimodal MEG/fMRI study sought to clarify the role and temporal activation order of both regions in response inhibition using a selective stopping task. This task dissociates inhibitory from attentional processes. Our results reliably reveal a temporal precedence of rIF…