title: Phasic alertness in a cued double-choice reaction time task: a Contingent Negative Variation (CNV) study.
abstract: A phasic change in alertness is produced every time that a warning stimulus precedes a target, and it enhances and maintains the response readiness to an impending stimulus. In the present study, we investigated the Contingent Negative Variation (CNV) phenomenon, as index of phasic alertness, during a S1-S2 paradigm in which the imperative stimulus was represented by a double-choice reaction time task, designed to increase the executive requests at S2. Subjects performed the task at three consecutive time points in order to explore the CNV activity over time. The repetition of a cued double-choice reaction time task reduced the reaction times (RTs), while CNV amplitude remained steady along the sessions. Our data suggest that the continuous recruitment of attentional resources does not undergo habituation when it is related to the brain activity required in the maintenance of working memory when the mental model of the stimulus environment is updated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: caterina.pauletti@libero.it.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pauletti
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: mannarellidaniela@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mannarelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience - AOU Careggi, Firenze, Italy; IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Firenze, Italy. Electronic address: antonello.grippo@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Antonello
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grippo
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, A. Fiorini Hospital, Terracina, LT, Sapienza University of Rome, Polo Pontino, Latina, Italy. Electronic address: antonio.curra@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Currà
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: nicoletta.locuratolo@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Locuratolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: marica.delucia@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: De Lucia
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: francesco.fattapposta@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fattapposta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D003463:Cues; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alertness; CNV; ERPs; Reaction time