Extended cognitive load induces fast neural responses leading to commission errors.

Abstract

Extended performance of cognitively demanding tasks induces cognitive fatigue manifested with an overall deterioration of behavioral performance. In particular, long practice with tasks requiring impulse control is typically followed by a decrease in self-control efficiency, leading to performance instability. Here, we show that this is due to changes in activation modalities of key task-related areas occurring if these areas previously underwent intensive use. We investigated in 25 healthy adults the effects of extended practice with high cognitive demand (HCD) tasks on a Go-No Go task and the underlying electroencephalographic (EEG) activity. We compared these effects with those induced by practice with similar, but low cognitive demand (LCD) tasks. HCD tasks were followed by an increase in response inhibition failures. These were correlated with the appearance of a distinct neural signature on fast response trials, characterized by lower levels of beta ([13-30] Hz) EEG activity in the pre-stimulus period, and by a lack of EEG markers of pre-response processing in frontal areas. Moreover, HCD tasks were followed by a decrease in N200 during correct withholds while LCD tasks were followed instead by a lesser fraction of hits and a decrease in P300, suggesting a decrease in engagement. Overall, these results show that exertion of cognitive control determines the appearance of two distinct modalities of response with different processing speeds, associated with distinct underlying neural activity.Significance statement Extended cognitive load leads to alterations in behavior, but the underlying alterations in cortical activity are far from being understood. When we compared the performance in a Go/NoGo test before and after a battery of tasks requiring high cognitive control, we found an increase in commission errors associated with an increase in fast automatic responses. EEG signals of these responses displayed a lack of cortical markers of pre-response processing. Tasks requiring only low cognitive control were followed instead by an increase in miss errors, likely related to a decrease in engagement. Extended cognitive load leads then to the appearance of two distinct response modalities, driven by distinct neural activities.