Cognitive control allows humans to process relevant sensory information while minimizing distractions from irrelevant stimuli. The neural basis of cognitive control is known to involve frontal regions of the brain such as the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), but the temporal dynamics of larger scale networks is unclear. Here we used EEG with source localization to identify how the neural oscillations localized to the mPFC and ACC coordinate with parietal, sensory, and motor areas during spatial cognitive control. Theta coherence (3–8 Hz) between the mPFC and ACC increased with task difficulty and predicted individual differences in reaction time. Individual differences in accuracy were predicted by earlier activation of ACC-motor coherence, highlighting the relationship between processing speed and task performance. Our results provide evidence that successful cognitive control requires dynamic coordination between a widespread network of brain regions. Long range theta coherence may be a key mechanism for efficient cognitive control across the neocortex.

认知控制使人类能够处理相关的感官信息，同时最大限度地减少对无关刺激的干扰。已知认知控制的神经基础涉及大脑的额叶区域，例如内侧前额叶皮层 (mPFC) 和前扣带皮层 (ACC)，但更大规模网络的时间动态尚不清楚。在这里，我们使用 EEG 和源定位来确定在空间认知控制过程中，定位到 mPFC 和 ACC 的神经振荡如何与顶叶、感觉和运动区域协调。mPFC 和 ACC 之间的 Theta 相干性（3-8 Hz）随着任务难度的增加而增加，并预测反应时间的个体差异。准确度的个体差异是通过早期激活 ACC 运动连贯性来预测的，突出处理速度和任务性能之间的关系。我们的研究结果证明，成功的认知控制需要广泛的大脑区域网络之间的动态协调。长程θ相干性可能是跨新皮层进行有效认知控制的关键机制。