It is crucial for humans to coordinate between behavioural tendencies that can lead to reward but are in conflict with each other. This response conflict can be measured in a reward-modulated Simon task, in which a discriminative response to the identity of a lateral target is required and the target is associated with either high- or low-reward. Critically, the lateral target is presented either congruent or incongruent with the location of the responding hand. It has been shown that relative to the low-reward target, the high-reward target induced a larger response conflict when the target was incongruent with the position of the task-required, reward-obtaining hand. Here we investigated how this response conflict is resolved by acquiring 24 healthy participants’ electromyography (EMG) signals from both the task-required responding hand (i.e., goal-directed effector) and the alternative hand (i.e., inappropriate effector). During the coping with the response conflict, motor inhibition (indexed by reduction in EMG signals between conditions) was observed not only at the inappropriate effector but also at the goal-directed effector. Individuals who showed stronger inhibition on the inappropriate effector suffered less from the inhibition on the goal-directed effector, and had more efficient implementation of the reward-obtaining response. Our findings suggest a global motor inhibition that may function to increase the signal-noise ratio in the motor system so as to implement reward-guided behavior.

中文翻译：

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奖励通过全局运动抑制促进反应冲突解决：肌电图证据

对于人类来说，在可能导致奖励但相互冲突的行为倾向之间进行协调是至关重要的。这种响应冲突可以在奖励调制的 Simon 任务中测量，其中需要对横向目标的身份做出区分性响应，并且目标与高奖励或低奖励相关联。至关重要的是，横向目标与响应手的位置一致或不一致。已经表明，相对于低奖励目标，当目标与需要任务、获得奖励的手的位置不一致时，高奖励目标会引起更大的反应冲突。在这里，我们研究了如何通过从任务需要的响应手（即，目标导向效应器）和另一只手（即不合适的效应器）。在应对反应冲突期间，不仅在不适当的效应器上而且在目标导向的效应器上都观察到运动抑制（通过条件之间 EMG 信号的减少来指示）。对不适当的效应器表现出更强抑制的个体对目标导向效应器的抑制较少，并且更有效地执行获得奖励的反应。我们的研究结果表明，全局运动抑制可能起到增加运动系统信噪比的作用，从而实现奖励引导的行为。不仅在不适当的效应器上而且在目标导向的效应器上都观察到运动抑制（通过条件之间 EMG 信号的减少来索引）。对不适当效应器表现出更强抑制的个体对目标导向效应器的抑制较少，并且更有效地执行获得奖励的反应。我们的研究结果表明，全局运动抑制可能起到增加运动系统信噪比的作用，从而实现奖励引导的行为。不仅在不适当的效应器上而且在目标导向的效应器上都观察到运动抑制（通过条件之间 EMG 信号的减少来索引）。对不适当效应器表现出更强抑制的个体对目标导向效应器的抑制较少，并且更有效地执行获得奖励的反应。我们的研究结果表明，全局运动抑制可能起到增加运动系统信噪比的作用，从而实现奖励引导的行为。