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，高水平表现的一个主要障碍是分心的干扰。这种干扰可以来自外部环境，以分散注意力的声音，图像和气味的形式出现，也可以来自内部环境，作为不想要的侵入性想法。与最近关于走神的理论相一致，我们提出，所有人都倾向于自动屈服于与他们正在进行的目标无关的内部想法，这受到认知和情绪状态及其周围环境的影响。他们能够自我调节这些内部干扰的程度介导了这种干扰对目标导向行为的影响。拟议的研究项目的目标是评估影响内部分心的自我调节的因素，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。具体来说，我们将探讨如何调节走神是由任务导向（内部与外部）的影响，以及是否存在外部分心影响内部分心的调节。我们将评估执行功能和神经网络的差异是否可以解释这些自我调节能力的差异。最后，我们评估的神经机制，内部分心的自我调节，可以通过实践修改。为了实现这些目标，我们设计了新的认知范式来评估健康的年轻人和老年人对内部分心的自我调节以及所述因素的影响。接下来，我们将使用功能性磁共振成像，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，我们利用一个新的分心训练计划，灵感来自冥想练习和可塑性为基础的认知训练，学习自我调节内部分心的神经基础。此外，将管理广泛的认知任务和现实生活中的活动措施电池，以评估这些神经和实验评估的分心措施的相关性。我们预计，独特的方法和实验设计将显着推进有限的工作在这一重要领域的自我调节。 公共卫生相关性：内部分心是公认的妨碍各种活动高水平表现的障碍。这个项目的目标是了解影响内部分心的自我调节的因素，以及管理这种调节的潜在神经机制，以及我们学习如何通过练习更好地自我调节的能力。这些知识将用于进一步了解自我调节的基本原则，并帮助设计未来的干预措施，以提高调节不同人群分心影响的能力。

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.