Flexibly shifting attention between stimulus dimensions (e.g., shape and color) is a central component of regulating cognition for goal-based behavior. In the present report, we examine the functional roles of different cortical regions by manipulating two demands on task switching that have been confounded in previous studies-shifting attention between visual dimensions and resolving conflict between stimulus-response representations. Dimensional shifting was manipulated by having participants shift attention between dimensions (either shape or color; dimension shift) or keeping the task-relevant dimension the same (dimension same). Conflict between stimulus-response representations was manipulated by creating conflict between response-driven associations from the previous set of trials and the stimulus-response mappings on the current set of trials (e.g., making a leftward response to a red stimulus during the previous task, but being required to make a rightward response to a red stimulus in the current task; stimulus-response conflict), or eliminating conflict by altering the features of the dimension relevant to the sorting rule (stimulus-response no-conflict). These manipulations revealed activation along a network of frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital cortices. Specifically, dimensional shifting selectively activated frontal and parietal regions. Stimulus-response conflict, on the other hand, produced decreased activation in temporal and occipital cortices. Occipital regions demonstrated a complex pattern of activation that was sensitive to both stimulus-response conflict and dimensional attention switching. These results provide novel information regarding the distinct role that frontal cortex plays in shifting dimensional attention and posterior cortices play in resolving conflict at the stimulus level.

中文翻译：

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探索基于灵活维度注意的神经系统。

在刺激维度（例如形状和颜色）之间灵活转移注意力是调节基于目标行为的认知的核心组成部分。在本报告中，我们通过操纵任务切换的两个需求来检查不同皮质区域的功能作用，这些需求在以前的研究中被混淆——在视觉维度之间转移注意力和解决刺激-反应表示之间的冲突。通过让参与者在维度之间转移注意力（形状或颜色；维度转换）或保持与任务相关的维度相同（维度相同）来操纵维度转移。刺激-反应表征之间的冲突是通过在前一组试验中的反应驱动关联与当前试验组的刺激-反应映射之间产生冲突来操纵的（例如，在前一任务中对红色刺激做出向左反应，但被要求对当前任务中的红色刺激做出正确的反应；刺激-反应冲突），或通过改变与排序规则相关的维度特征来消除冲突（刺激-反应无冲突）。这些操作揭示了沿着额叶、颞叶、顶叶和枕叶皮质网络的激活。具体来说，维度转换选择性地激活了额叶和顶叶区域。另一方面，刺激反应冲突导致颞叶和枕叶皮质的激活减少。枕部区域表现出一种复杂的激活模式，对刺激-反应冲突和维度注意力转换都很敏感。这些结果提供了关于额叶皮层在转移维度注意力和后皮层在解决刺激级别的冲突中发挥的独特作用的新信息。