Effective connectivity analysis of response inhibition functional network

IntroductionInhibition mechanisms are essential in daily life, helping individuals adapt to environmental demands. However, the causal interactions between large-scale functional networks involved in response inhibition remain poorly understood.MethodsIn this study, we examined the effective connect...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Monica Di Giuliano, Andy Schumann, Feliberto de la Cruz, Pedro Henrique Rodrigues Da Silva, Karl-Jürgen Bär
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Neuroscience
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1525038/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:IntroductionInhibition mechanisms are essential in daily life, helping individuals adapt to environmental demands. However, the causal interactions between large-scale functional networks involved in response inhibition remain poorly understood.MethodsIn this study, we examined the effective connectivity (EC) underlying inhibitory processes in the brain using dynamic causal modeling (DCM) and independent component analysis (ICA). We conducted a Go-NoGo fMRI task with 19 healthy participants to investigate these networks.ResultsOur results identified four functional networks activated during correct motor response inhibition: the salience network (SN), the right and left executive control networks (ECNs), and the ventral default mode network (vDMN). We observed a significant causal inhibitory influence from the vDMN to the left ECN (lECN). Under conditions of unsuccessful response inhibition, the SN, bilateral ECNs, and somatomotor network (SMN) were found to be prominently activated. Furthermore, we identified a significant correlation between the inhibitory influence from the SMN to the SN and the commission error rate. Finally, correlation analyses between self-reported impulsivity levels and causal network interactions revealed that highly impulsive individuals require greater interhemispheric integration between the right and left ECNs for effective inhibition, as well as a causal excitatory modulation from the right executive control network (rECN) to the vDMN.DiscussionIn summary, our study reveals complex hierarchical dynamics among functional networks during response inhibition. These findings offer valuable insight into the neural mechanisms supporting inhibition and provide avenues for future research on the neural underpinnings of this critical cognitive function across the lifespan.
ISSN:1662-453X