Disentangling the attention network test: behavioral, event related potentials, and neural source analyses

Alejandro Galvao-Carmona, Javier J González-Rosa, Antonio R Hidalgo-Muñoz, Dolores Páramo, María L Benítez, Guillermo Izquierdo, Manuel Vázquez-Marrufo, Alejandro Galvao-Carmona, Javier J González-Rosa, Antonio R Hidalgo-Muñoz, Dolores Páramo, María L Benítez, Guillermo Izquierdo, Manuel Vázquez-Marrufo

Abstract

Background: The study of the attentional system remains a challenge for current neuroscience. The "Attention Network Test" (ANT) was designed to study simultaneously three different attentional networks (alerting, orienting, and executive) based in subtraction of different experimental conditions. However, some studies recommend caution with these calculations due to the interactions between the attentional networks. In particular, it is highly relevant that several interpretations about attentional impairment have arisen from these calculations in diverse pathologies. Event related potentials (ERPs) and neural source analysis can be applied to disentangle the relationships between these attentional networks not specifically shown by behavioral measures.

Results: This study shows that there is a basic level of alerting (tonic alerting) in the no cue (NC) condition, represented by a slow negative trend in the ERP trace prior to the onset of the target stimuli. A progressive increase in the CNV amplitude related to the amount of information provided by the cue conditions is also shown. Neural source analysis reveals specific modulations of the CNV related to a task-related expectancy presented in the NC condition; a late modulation triggered by the central cue (CC) condition and probably representing a generic motor preparation; and an early and late modulation for spatial cue (SC) condition suggesting specific motor and sensory preactivation. Finally, the first component in the information processing of the target stimuli modulated by the interaction between orienting network and the executive system can be represented by N1.

Conclusions: The ANT is useful as a paradigm to study specific attentional mechanisms and their interactions. However, calculation of network effects is based in subtractions with non-comparable experimental conditions, as evidenced by the present data, which can induce misinterpretations in the study of the attentional capacity in human subjects.

Keywords: ANT; CNV; P300; alerting; attention; neural networks; orienting; source analysis.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Experimental procedure. Possible combinations of sets of cues and targets were six: no cue congruent (NC-C), no cue incongruent (NC-I), central cue congruent (CC-C), central cue incongruent (CC-I), spatial cue congruent (SC-C), and spatial cue incongruent (SC-I). Abbreviation: ms, milliseconds.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The 58 scalp electrodes recorded and sets of 42 electrodes analyzed (in red) for ERPs (CNV, P1, N1, and P3) that were used.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Behavioral results. Mean reaction times (in milliseconds) and accuracy (in percentages) with standard deviations according to cues and targets.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Contingent negative variation modulations at Cz electrode and topographical maps. Abbreviations: ms, milliseconds; μV, microvolts.
Figure 5
Figure 5
CNV component modulation in the no cue condition and electrodes that showed statistical differences (in red) between averaged ERP amplitudes and zero value (t-test against zero) in each of the 10 intervals of 100 ms prior to the onset of the target stimulus analyzed. Abbreviations: ms, milliseconds; μV, microvolts.
Figure 6
Figure 6
P1 and N1 modulations in every cue condition at the PO5 and PO6 electrodes and topographical maps. Abbreviations: ms, milliseconds; μV, microvolts.
Figure 7
Figure 7
ERP modulations at the PO6 electrode in every cue × congruence condition. Abbreviations: ms, milliseconds; μV, microvolts.
Figure 8
Figure 8
(A,B) Cortical activation maps presented in Z scores according to the baseline and showing significant activity (FDR-adjusted p < 0.01). Sources of the CNV effect were estimated in 2 CNV intervals of interest, −500 to −400 ms and −100 to 0 ms, before the target stimulus, which had shown previous ERP differences between experimental conditions during the CNV period. Source reconstructions maps were clipped at 50% (FWHM). (C,D) Cue-conditions effects on the mean time-course of activation in superior parietal lobe (SPL), and supplementary motor area (SMA) elicited during the ANT task for no cue (NC), central cue (CC), and spatial cue (SC) conditions in the 100 ms scoring windows at which statistical analyses were carried out. The data represent the grand-average source waveforms for all subjects, collapsing left and right hemispheres for the selected areas.

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