The Cognitive And Neural Mechanisms Of The Conflict Information Processing In Environment

A person can quickly identify the warning sound of an ambulance from the loud traffic noise. One can exclude the interference of a piece of music to play a melody. A person can read the newspaper without being affected by the talk from the next table. Human can easily understand the stimulus novelty and change in the environment to synchronize and integrate the source of stimuli. Activity in daily life requires an ability to make individuals choose to use some of the characteristics of the environment and exclude other conflict or distraction stimuli. After that an individual could make cognitive processing successfully, which is the conflict information processing in environment. It is essential for the adaptation and the survival of human. However, the present situation about the cognitive and neural basis of conflict information processing in environment is still not systematic due to the diversity of the conflict information processing research paradigms. Based on the human styles of accepting outside information (single-sensory-channel information input and cross-feeling-channel information input), the thesis design has developed the classic conflict information processing paradigms. Using event-related potentials (ERPs) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the present study aimed to systematically explore the cognitive and neural mechanisms of the conflict information processing in environment from multiple dimensions.Firstly, study1has utilized the conflict information materials from color, size, shape and distance aspects as the experimental materials in the single sensory conflict information processing paradigm. The ERPs technology was used to record the physiological electrical signals during the single sensory conflict information processing. Scalp event-related potential analysis revealed the single sensory channel conflict information process was divided into two phases, mainly related to the conflict information monitoring and the conflict information response. Manifestations about physiological electrical signals of the different types of the conflict information monitoring were similar. The conflict information monitoring was reflected by a negative ERP component elicited by the incongruent condition than the congruent condition. Manifestations about physiological electrical signals of the different types of conflict information response were related to the stimulus dimensions. In color conflict information processing and size conflict information processing, the conflict information response was reflected by a late negative ERP component (N500or N500-700) elicited by the incongruent condition than the congruent condition. However, in shape conflict information processing and distance conflict information processing, the conflict information response was reflected by a late positive ERP component (LPC) elicited by the incongruent condition than the congruent condition. In addition, in distance conflict information processing paradigm, observing from the difference wave, a significant negative component N280was elicited by the distance incongruent condition than the distance congruent condition. This negative component reflected the conflict information processing in the representation level at the early phase of the cognitive processing.Then. study2has utilized the conflict information materials from visual-audio, visual-olfactory, visual-taste and visual-touch aspects as the experimental materials in the cross-modal conflict information processing paradigm. The ERP technology was used to record the physiological electrical signals during the cross-modal conflict information processing. Scalp event-related potential analysis revealed the cross-modal conflict information processing happened in the conflict information integration and response stage. Manifestations about physiological electrical signals of the different types of the conflict information integration and response were similar. The conflict information integration and response were reflected by a negative ERP component elicited by the incongruent condition than the congruent condition. However, only when the stimuli on auditory channel, gustatory channel and tactile channel are negative, the participants would gain negative emotions. After that, the negative ERP component related to the conflict information integration and response would appear. When the participants gain positive emotions, there would be no difference on the physiological electrical signals between the incongruent condition and the congruent condition. The reason of this phenomenon was the positive emotion would facilitate the cognitive abilities of human brain about the conflict information processing. In addition, after the participants saw a photo of the plant with a pungent olfactory characteristic, a more negative N1component would be elicited, compared with seeing a photo of the plant with fragrance olfactory characteristic. After the participants saw a photo of the food with the sour feature, a more positive P2component would be elicited, compared with seeing a photo of the food with the sweet feature. This reflects that human brains pay more attention on the object with a negative taste characteristic or a negative olfactory characteristic. The stimuli with the negative characteristics are very important for human survival and adaptation to the environment.Finally, study3has chosen the shape conflict information materials and the visual-taste conflict information materials as the experimental materials, combining fMRI technology, to explore the cognitive and the neural mechanisms of the conflict information processing in environment. The pattern of the neural activity from the contrast between the shape incongruent condition and the shape congruent condition showed that the inferior frontal gyrus, the medial frontal gyrus, the supramarginal gyrus and the superior temporal gyrus might be related to the conflict information processing in the single sensory channel. Specifically, the superior temporal gyrus might be involved in the conflict information monitoring; the inferior frontal gyrus, the medial frontal gyrus and the supramarginal gyrus were probably involved in the conflict information response. The pattern of the neural activity from the contrast between the negative visual-taste incongruent condition and the negative visual-taste congruent condition showed that the middle frontal gyrus, the lingual gyrus, and the postcentral gyrus might be related to the conflict information processing in the cross modality. Specifically, middle frontal gyrus and the lingual gyrus might be involved in the conflict information integration and response; the postcentral gyrus was probably involved in the sensory contrast. The results of fMRI experiment and ERP experiment were similar. Only when the stimuli on gustatory channel were negative, the participants would gain negative emotions. After that, there were three regions that showed positive activation from the contrast between the visual-taste incongruent condition and the visual-taste congruent condition. When the participants gain positive emotions, there would be no regions that showed positive activation from the contrast between the visual-taste incongruent condition and the visual-taste congruent condition. In other words, conflict information processing appears only in the negative environment in the cross modality. These results further demonstrate the ERP experiments speculation, the capacity of the conflict information processing is influenced by the emotional state of human. Together with the10experiments in the present study, the results indicated that, firstly, four single sensory conflict information processing paradigms (color, size, shape and distance) and four cross-modal conflict information processing paradigms (visual-audio, visual-olfactory, visual-taste and visual-touch) are effective and reliable paradigms to explore the cognitive and neural mechanisms of the conflict information processing in environment. Secondly, the single sensory channel conflict information process is divided into two phases, mainly related to the conflict information monitoring and conflict information response. Thirdly, the cross-modal conflict information processing happens in the conflict information integration and response stage. Fourthly, the superior temporal gyrus might be involved in the conflict information monitoring; the inferior frontal gyrus, the medial frontal gyrus and the supramarginal gyrus are probably involved in the conflict information response; The middle frontal gyrus and the lingual gyrus might be involved in the conflict information integration and response; the postcentral gyrus is probably involved in the sensory contrast. Fifthly, during the cross-modal information processing, the environmental information is imported through different sensory channels then converted into the semantic coding. The conflict information integration and response happens in the end. Positive emotional state of mind will promote and strengthen the cognitive capacity of human brain about the conflict information processing.