Parallel cognitive processing streams in human prefrontal cortex: Parsing areal-level brain network for response inhibition

Multiple cognitive processes are recruited to achieve adaptive behavior. However, it is poorly understood how such cognitive processes are implemented in temporal cascades of human cerebral cortical areas as processing streams to achieve behavior. In the present study, we identify cortical processing streams for response inhibition and examine relationships among the processing streams. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and time-resolved single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) reveal three distinct critical timings of transient disruption in the functionally essential cortical areas that belong to two distinct cerebrocortical networks. Furthermore, single-pulse TMS following suppression of the ventral posterior inferior frontal cortex (vpIFC) with repetitive TMS reveals information flow from the vpIFC to the presupplementary motor area (preSMA) within the same network but not to the dorsal posterior inferior frontal cortex (dpIFC) across different networks. These causal behavioral effects suggest two parallel processing streams (vpIFC-preSMA versus dpIFC-intraparietal sulcus) that act concurrently during response inhibition. [Display omitted] •Two processing streams for response inhibition are identified with fMRI and TMS•Stopping stream flows from the ventral inferior frontal area•The other stream runs from the dorsal inferior frontal area in a later phase•These two streams implement distinct processes in a parallel manner Osada et al. find two areal-level processing streams for response inhibition in humans, as follows: stopping stream originating from the ventral area of the inferior frontal cortex (IFC) and the other originating from the dorsal IFC that works in a later phase. These two streams implement distinct processes in a parallel manner.