Observers must select goal‐directed stimuli in lieu of distractors in the environment for preferential information processing. This selection, according to the load theory of attention, is modulated by cognitive load, involving the frontal cortices, with more significant distractor interference under high cognitive load, with strained executive control resources. Evidence in support of this theory exists; however, working memory tasks were predominately used in these investigations. The influence of other types of cognitive load on distractor processing is largely unknown. An interleaved pro‐ and anti‐saccade task has often been used to investigate executive control in which subjects are instructed in advance to either automatically look at the peripheral stimulus (pro‐saccade), or to suppress the automatic response and voluntarily look in the direction opposite of the stimulus (anti‐saccade). Distinct frontal preparatory activity has been clearly characterized during preparation for pro‐ and anti‐saccades, with higher inhibition‐related activity in preparation for anti‐saccades than pro‐saccades. Here, we used an interleaved pro‐ and anti‐saccade paradigm to investigate the modulation of distractor interference by cognitive load in a group of 24 healthy young adults. Luminant distractors were used to evoke automatic pupillary responses to evaluate distractor processing. Greater pupillary dilation following dark distractor presentation was observed in the anti‐saccade than the pro‐saccade preparation. These effects, however, were absent in pupillary constriction following bright distractors. Together, our results support the load theory of attention, importantly highlighting the potential of using involuntary changes in pupil size to objectively investigate attentional selection under load.

中文翻译：

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研究在反扫视范式中使用瞳孔亮度响应的干扰物处理的认知负载调制。

观察者必须选择目标导向的刺激代替环境中的干扰因素，以进行优先信息处理。根据注意力负荷理论，这种选择是受认知负荷（包括额叶皮层）调节的，该负荷涉及额叶皮层，在高认知负荷下，牵张者的干扰较大，执行控制资源紧张。存在支持该理论的证据；但是，在这些调查中主要使用工作记忆任务。其他类型的认知负荷对干扰物处理的影响在很大程度上尚不清楚。通常使用交错的前扫视和反扫视任务来调查执行控制，在这种控制中，事先指示对象可以自动查看外围刺激（前扫视），或抑制自动响应并自愿朝刺激的相反方向看（防扫视）。在准备前扫视和反扫视时，明显的前额准备活动具有明显的特征，与前扫视相比，在准备防扫视时具有更高的抑制相关活性。在这里，我们使用交错的前扫视和反扫视范式，研究了由24名健康的年轻人组成的认知负荷对干扰物干扰的调节。发光干扰物用于引起瞳孔自动反应，以评估干扰物的处理。在暗扫视时，与前扫视相比，在暗扫视时，瞳孔扩张更大。但是，这些因素在明亮的牵张器后的瞳孔缩小中是不存在的。一起，