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Abstract:
The neural substrate for color-word interference effect was
investigated using event-related brain potentials (ERPs) recorded
in a flanker-type interference task. Kanji (Japanese morphograms)
and Kana (Japanese phonograms) were used as a flanker stimulus to
obtain insights about hemispheric specialization for processing
Japanese orthographies. Interference effects in reaction time were
larger when Kanji were presented in the right visual field or Kana
words in the left visual field. ERPs were modulated by the
incongruent flankers, which generated a negative component over the
fronto-central sites. Consistent with the behavioral data, larger
negativity was observed for left Kanji words and for right Kana
words. The 3D current source analysis of the negativity
demonstrated its sources around anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and
dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). These areas were
co-activated with different time course; the ACC activity appeared
earlier than the DLPFC activity. The present results support the
view of preferential processing of Kanji in the right hemisphere
and that of Kana in the left hemisphere. The temporal profile of
current sources for the interference-related neural activity
suggests that the ACC and DLPFC may be involved differentially in
maintaining attentional set and processing conflict
situations.
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