title: The Frontal Control of Stopping.
abstract: Stopping is a critical aspect of brain function. Like other voluntary actions, it is defined by its context as much as by its execution. Its neural substrate must therefore reflect both. Here, we distinguish those elements of the underlying brain circuit that preferentially reflect contextual aspects of stopping from those related to its execution. Contextual complexity of stopping was modulated using a novel "Stop/Change-signal" task, which also allowed us to parameterize the duration of the stopping process. Human magnetoencephalographic activity and behavioral responses were simultaneously recorded. Whereas theta/alpha frequency activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus was most closely associated with the duration of the stopping process, earlier gamma frequency activity in the pre-supplementary motor area was unique in showing contextual modulation. These results differentiate the roles of 2 key frontal regions involved in stopping, a crucial aspect of behavioral control.
authors.affiliation: Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK.
authors.forename: Ashwani
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jha
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3AR, UK.
authors.forename: Parashkev
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nachev
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, UCL Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
authors.forename: Gareth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3AR, UK.
authors.forename: Masud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Husain
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, UCL Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Litvak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D015225:Magnetoencephalography; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: conditional complexity; inferior frontal gyrus; magnetoencephalography; pre-supplementary motor area; stop-signal