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Abstract:
Event-related potentials (ERPs) were used to examine the
neural correlates of both the formation and realization of an
intention in two experiments within the context of the
noticing+search model of prospective memory. In Experiment 1 the
prospective memory cue was defined by the presentation of a color
different from those encountered as part of the ongoing activity,
while in Experiment 2 the prospective memory cue was defined by the
presentation of a specific word. The formation of an intention was
associated with an occipital-parietal negativity (N300), a parietal
positivity (LPC), and a frontal slowwave (intention slowwave) when
the prospective memory cue was defined by a color or a word. The
N300 and LPC were similar in amplitude regardless of whether or not
the intention was later realized, while the intention slowwave was
greater in amplitude when the intention was later successfully
realized. The realization of an intention was associated with a
N300 that was maximal over the occipital-parietal region when the
cue was defined by color, and maximal over the posterior temporal
region when the cue was defined by a word. When the prospective
memory cue was defined by color the realization of an intention was
also associated with a sustained positivity over the
frontal-central region. These experiments demonstrate that
prospective remembering arises through the interaction of
distributed neural networks active during formation and realization
of the intention.
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