Open AccessDomain general and domain preferential brain regions associated with different types of task switching: A Meta‐Analysis
Author(s) -
Kim Chobok,
Cilles Sara E.,
Johnson Nathan F.,
Gold Brian T.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
human brain mapping
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.005
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1097-0193
pISSN - 1065-9471
DOI - 10.1002/hbm.21199
Subject(s) - task switching , context (archaeology) , neuroscience , task (project management) , context switch , psychology , cortex (anatomy) , posterior parietal cortex , premotor cortex , perception , domain (mathematical analysis) , brain mapping , dorsum , cognition , cognitive psychology , computer science , biology , anatomy , paleontology , mathematical analysis , mathematics , management , economics , programming language
One of our highest evolved functions as human beings is our capacity to switch between multiple tasks effectively. A body of research has identified a distributed frontoparietal network of brain regions which contribute to task switching. However, relatively less is known about whether some brain regions may contribute to switching in a domain‐general manner while others may be more preferential for different kinds of switching. To explore this issue, we conducted three meta‐analyses focusing on different types of task switching frequently used in the literature (perceptual, response, and context switching), and created a conjunction map of these distinct switch types. A total of 36 switching studies with 562 activation coordinates were analyzed using the activation likelihood estimation method. Common areas associated with switching across switch type included the inferior frontal junction and posterior parietal cortex. In contrast, domain‐preferential activation was observed for perceptual switching in the dorsal portion of the premotor cortex and for context switching in frontopolar cortex. Our results suggest that some regions within the frontoparietal network contribute to domain‐general switching processes while others contribute to more domain‐preferential processes, according to the type of task switch performed. Hum Brain Mapp, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.