Ad-hoc and context-dependent adjustments of selective attention in conflict control: an ERP study with visual probes.

Cognitive conflict control in flanker tasks has often been described using the zoom-lens metaphor of selective attention. However, whether and how selective attention - in terms of suppression and enhancement - operates in this context has remained unclear. To examine the dynamic interplay of selective attention and cognitive control we used electrophysiological measures and presented task-irrelevant visual probe stimuli at foveal, parafoveal, and peripheral display positions. Target-flanker congruency varied either randomly from trial to trial (mixed-block) or block-wise (fixed-block) in order to induce reactive versus proactive control modes, respectively. Three EEG measures were used to capture ad-hoc adjustments within trials as well as effects of context-based predictions: the N1 component of the visual evoked potential (VEP) to probes, the VEP to targets, and the conflict-related midfrontal N2 component. Results from probe-VEPs indicate that enhanced processing of the foveal target rather than suppression of the peripheral flankers supports interference control. In incongruent mixed-block trials VEPs were larger to probes near the targets. In the fixed-blocks probe-VEPs were not modulated, but contrary to the mixed-block the preceding target-related VEP was affected by congruency. Results of the control-related N2 reveal largest amplitudes in the unpredictable context, which did not differentiate for stimulus and response incongruency. In contrast, in the predictable context, N2 amplitudes were reduced overall and differentiated between stimulus and response incongruency. Taken together these results imply that predictability alters interference control by a reconfiguration of stimulus processing. During unpredictable sequences participants adjust their attentional focus dynamically on a trial-by-trial basis as reflected in congruency-dependent probe-VEP-modulation. This reactive control mode also elicits larger N2 amplitudes. In contrast, when task demands are predictable, participants focus selective attention earlier as reflected in the target-related VEPs. This proactive control mode leads to smaller N2 amplitudes and absent probe effects.

Funny kittens: Positive mood induced via short video-clips affects error processing but not conflict control.

The interplay of performance monitoring functions and affective variables labeled as moods or emotions has been investigated within different theoretical frameworks including conflict adaptation and reinforcement learning. However, results regarding the electrophysiological underpinnings of performance monitoring such as the error-related negativity (ERN), the N200 or the error positivity (Pe) remain largely inconsistent. While some studies report ERN enhancements after positive mood induction, others find reductions due to positive affect. An additional source of complexity regards the manifold induction methods across studies. Here, we investigated whether performance-independent, blocked mood inductions via mini-clips alter electrophysiological markers of performance monitoring. Positive clips consisted of a pre-rated collection of human and animal funny/fail videos, while neutral clips showed natural scenes of humans and animals or sport events. The main task was a modified flanker paradigm. The effectivity of mood induction was confirmed via recorded skin conductance response (SCR), facial-muscle electromyogram (EMG) and intermittent subjective mood questionnaires. Regarding interference control neither reaction times nor error rates were influenced by mood induction, similarly no mood effects of the N2 component were observed. In contrast, we found enhanced ERN as well as Pe amplitudes in the positive compared to the neutral condition. Additional to post error slowing we found increased interference effects after errors in positive blocks on the behavioral level. The results suggest a specific receptiveness of evaluative control components to positive affect that will be discussed regarding their possible neuronal underpinnings.

Relation of positive inotropic and chronotropic effects of pimobendan, UD-CG 212 Cl, milrinone and other phosphodiesterase inhibitors to phosphodiesterase III inhibition in guinea-pig heart.

(1) This study was performed to elucidate the relation between positive inotropy and phosphodiesterase inhibition in the heart. Therefore, the influence on the activity of guinea-pig cardiac phosphodiesterase (PDE) I-III separated by DEAE-cellulose anion exchange chromatography was investigated for the new cardiotonic agents pimobendan, its metabolite UD-CG 212 Cl and milrinone. These effects were compared with those of various other PDE inhibitors such as IBMX, zaprinast, rolipram and AR-L 57 Cl. A selectivity factor (SF, mean of the IC50 values for PDE I and II inhibition divided by the IC50 for PDE III) was calculated for each drug. The greater this value the more selective was the PDE III inhibition. (2) UD-CG 212 Cl was the most potent (IC50 = 0.19 mumol/l) and most selective inhibitor of PDE III with a SF of 869. Also selective PDE III inhibitors were pimobendan (SF = 50.5) and milrinone (SF = 70.0) with slightly smaller potencies (IC50 = 2.40 and 1.52 mumol/l, respectively). Zaprinast and rolipram preferentially inhibited PDE I and II, respectively. IBMX and AR-L 57 Cl inhibited PDE I-III unselectively with similar potencies for all isoenzymes. (3) The PDE inhibitory effects of all substances were compared with their influence on force of contraction (electrically driven papillary muscles) and on frequency of beating (spontaneously beating right auricles) in guinea-pig hearts, thus in preparations of the same species. UD-CG 212 Cl and pimobendan resembled each other in their maximal positive inotropic effects with potencies (EC50) of 1.8 mumol/l and 6.0 mumol/l, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Mechanism of action and cardiotonic activity of a new phosphodiesterase inhibitor, the benzimidazole derivative adibendan (BM 14.478), in guinea-pig hearts.

1. The effects of adibendan (BM 14.478; 7,7-dimethyl-2-(4-pyridyl)-6,7-dihydro-3H,5H-pyrrolo[2,3-f] benzimidazole-6-one) on force of contraction and beating frequency were analysed in guinea-pig electrically driven papillary muscles and spontaneously beating right auricles, respectively. The effects of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) and milrinone were studied for comparison. 2. Adibendan exerted a concentration-dependent (0.03-300 mumol/l) positive inotropic effect in papillary muscles (EC50 = 1.3 mumol/l) which was only partially reversible. The efficiency of adibendan was less than that of milrinone, but adibendan was about two orders of magnitude more potent and had only slight positive chronotropic effects (113% of pre-drug values) at most. Milrinone increased the frequency of beating maximally to 140% of pre-drug values. The positive inotropic effect of adibendan is probably at least partially mediated by cAMP since carbachol reduced the increase in force of contraction by about 75%. 3. To elucidate the mechanism of action of adibendan we investigated its effects on phosphodiesterase I-III and adenylate cyclase activity in isolated preparations from guinea-pig hearts. 4. Adibendan selectively inhibited phosphodiesterase III (PDE III) activity concentration-dependently (IC50 = 2.0 mumol/l). The IC50 values for the inhibition of PDE I or II were more than 60-fold higher. Since adibendan did not affect adenylate cyclase activity a stimulation of the cAMP synthesis as a mechanism of action can be ruled out. 5. The results provide evidence that the positive inotropic action of adibendan is at least in part due to an inhibition of cAMP-PDE III.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)