Mechanisms of self-regulation of internal distraction

描述（由申请人提供）：在各种目标导向的活动中，高水平表现的主要障碍是分心的干扰。这种干扰可以来自外部环境，以令人分心的声音、图像和气味的形式出现，也可以来自内部环境，以不想要的、侵入性的想法出现。根据最近关于走神的理论，我们提出，所有人都有一种倾向，会自动屈服于与他们正在进行的目标无关的内心想法，这受到认知和情绪状态以及周围环境的影响。他们能够自我调节这些内部干扰的程度决定了这种干扰对目标导向行为的影响。本研究计划的目标是评估影响内部分心自我调节的因素，以及解释个体和年龄组之间自我调节能力差异的神经相关因素，以及学习更好地自我调节分心的能力。具体而言，我们将探讨走神的调节如何受到任务取向（内部和外部）的影响，以及外部分心的存在是否影响内部分心的调节。我们将评估是否存在执行功能和神经网络的差异来解释这些自我调节能力的差异。最后，我们评估了内部分心的自我调节可以通过练习来修改的神经机制。为了实现这些目标，我们设计了新的认知范式来评估内部分心的自我调节，以及所描述的因素对健康的年轻人和老年人的影响。接下来，使用功能性MRI，我们将研究内部分心调节的神经相关性，以及未能充分抑制分心。最后，我们利用一种新的分心训练方案，受冥想练习和基于可塑性的认知训练的启发，研究学习自我调节内部分心的神经基础。此外，将进行一系列广泛的认知任务和现实生活活动测量，以评估这些神经和实验评估的分心测量的相关性。我们预计，独特的方法方法和实验设计将大大推进这一重要领域的自我调节有限的工作。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): A major obstacle to high-level performance on a wide variety of goal-directed activities is interference by distractions. This interference can arise from the external environment, in the form of distracting sounds, images and smells, as well as from the internal milieu, as unwanted, intrusive thoughts. In concordance with recent theories on mind-wandering, we propose that all individuals have a tendency to automatically succumb to internal thoughts that are irrelevant to their ongoing goals, and that this is influenced by cognitive and emotional states and their surrounding environment. The degree to which they are capable of self-regulation of these internal distractions mediates the impact of this interference on goal-directed behavior. The objectives of the proposed research project are to evaluate the factors that impact self-regulation of internal distraction and the neural correlates that account for differences in self-regulation abilities across individuals and age groups, as well as the ability to learn to better self-regulate distraction. Specifically, we will explore how regulation of mind-wandering is influenced by task orientation (internal vs. external), and whether the presence of external distraction influences the regulation of internal distraction. We will evaluate if there are differences in executive function and neural networks that explain differences in these self-regulation abilities. Lastly, we assess the neural mechanisms by which self-regulation of internal distraction can be modified via practice. To accomplish these goals, we designed novel cognitive paradigms to evaluate the self-regulation of internal distraction, and the influence of the described factors, in both healthy younger and older adults. Next, using functional MRI, we will study the neural correlates of internal distraction regulation, as well as a failure to adequately suppress distractions. Finally, we utilize a novel distraction-training program, inspired by meditation practices and plasticity-based cognitive training, to study the neural basis of learning to self-regulate internal distraction. In addition, an extensive battery of cognitive tasks and real-life activity measures will be administered to evaluate correlates of these neural and experimentally-assessed distraction measures. We anticipate that the unique methodological approach and experimental design will significantly advance the limited work in this important area of self-regulation. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Internal distractions are a well-recognized impediment to high-level performance on a wide variety of activities. The goal of this project is to understand the factors that influence the self-regulation of internal distraction, as well as the underlying neural mechanisms that govern this regulation and our ability to learn how to better self-regulate with practice. This knowledge will be used to further our understanding of basic principles underlying self-regulation, and to help design future interventions to improve abilities to regulate the impact of distractions in diverse populations.