Neuronal Mechanisms of Stroop Effect: Neurophysiological and Computational Approach

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We trained two Japanese monkeys to perform a selective attention task with multidimensional (color & random dots motion) visual stimulus. The results revealed Stroop like interference effect in monkeys' behavior, and we reported them in Journal of Experimental Psychology (Lauwereyns et al. 2000). Then we recorded single unit activity from the prefrontal cortex of the behaving monkeys. What we found were followings;1) Primate lateral prefrontal cortex plays critical roles in converting sensory information to the associated behavioral information.2) The processes are hierarchically organized.3) The process in earlier stage is done in parallel and that in later stage, in serial. The integration process from parallel to serial generates the Stroop type interference in behavior.4) These processes are related to cognitive decision-making processes rather than motor execution processes. Adding to the recording experiment, we made microinjection of muscimol (GABA agonist) into the prefrontal cortex of the behaving monkeys and got supporting data for our hypothesis based on recording results. We are now recording single-unit activity from the cingulated cortex of those monkeys, which tends to be more related to motivational aspect.