title: Acceptance of evidence-supported hypotheses generates a stronger signal from an underlying functionally-connected network.
abstract: Choosing one's preferred hypothesis requires multiple brain regions to work in concert as a functionally connected network. We predicted that a stronger network signal would underlie cognitive coherence between a hypothesis and the available evidence. In order to identify such functionally connected networks in magnetoencephalography (MEG) data, we first localized the generators of changes in oscillatory power within three frequency bands, namely alpha (7-13 Hz), beta (18-24 Hz), and theta (3-7 Hz), with a spatial resolution of 5mm and temporal resolution of 50 ms. We then used principal component analysis (PCA) to identify functionally connected networks reflecting co-varying post-stimulus changes in power. As predicted, PCA revealed a functionally connected network with a stronger signal when the evidence supported accepting the hypothesis being judged. This difference was driven by beta-band power decreases in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC), posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and midline occipital cortex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada. Electronic address: jenwhitman@gmail.com.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Whitman
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Canada; Department of Psychology, McGill University, Canada.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takane
authors.affiliation: Behavioral & Cognitive Neuroscience Institute, Canada; School of Engineering, Simon Fraser University, Canada.
authors.forename: T P L
authors.initials: TPL
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.affiliation: Behavioral & Cognitive Neuroscience Institute, Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moiseev
authors.affiliation: Behavioral & Cognitive Neuroscience Institute, Canada; Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Canada.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ribary
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada; Behavioral & Cognitive Neuroscience Institute, Canada.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: Behavioral & Cognitive Neuroscience Institute, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Woodward
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D015225:Magnetoencephalography; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
keywords: CPCA; Decision-making; Functional connectivity; Hypothesis judgment; MEG; fMRI