Cited by 398Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesNeurobiology of Language and BilingualismFunctional Brain Connectivity Studies

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 89 of the 89 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 77 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Large-scale functional neural network correlates of response inhibition: an fMRI meta-analysis

Open access
Zhang, Ruibin, Geng, Xiujuan, Lee, Tatia M. C.·2017·Brain Structure and Function

Abstract

An influential hypothesis from the last decade proposed that regions within the right inferior frontal cortex of the human brain were dedicated to supporting response inhibition. There is growing evidence, however, to support an alternative model, which proposes that neural areas associated with specific inhibitory control tasks co-exist as common network mechanisms, supporting diverse cognitive processes. This meta-analysis of 225 studies comprising 323 experiments examined the common and distinct neural correlates of cognitive processes for response inhibition, namely interference resolution, action withholding, and action cancellation. Activation coordinates for each subcategory were extracted using multilevel kernel density analysis (MKDA). The extracted activity patterns were then mapped onto the brain functional network atlas to derive the common (i.e., process-general) and distinct (i.e., domain-oriented) neural network correlates of these processes. Independent of the task types, activation of the right hemispheric regions (inferior frontal gyrus, insula, median cingulate, and paracingulate gyri) and superior parietal gyrus was common across the cognitive processes studied. Mapping the activation patterns to a brain functional network atlas revealed that the fronto-parietal and ventral attention networks were the core neural systems that were commonly engaged in different processes of response inhibition. Subtraction analyses elucidated the distinct neural substrates of interference resolution, action withholding, and action cancellation, revealing stronger activation in the ventral attention network for interference resolution than action inhibition. On the other hand, action withholding/cancellation primarily engaged the fronto-striatal circuit. Overall, our results suggest that response inhibition is a multidimensional cognitive process involving multiple neural regions and networks for coordinating optimal performance. This finding has significant implications for the understanding and assessment of response inhibition.

Overview

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TL;DR

This meta-analysis of 225 fMRI studies (323 experiments) finds that response inhibition commonly engages right inferior frontal gyrus/insula, median cingulate/paracingulate gyri, and superior parietal gyrus, with fronto-parietal and ventral attention networks as core systems. Interference resolution, action withholding, and action cancellation share these networks but show distinct recruitment patterns, including stronger ventral attention network engagement for interference resolution and fronto-striatal involvement for action withholding/cancellation.

Key findings

  • Across all 225 studies/323 experiments/3453 foci, significant right-hemisphere clusters included frontal cortex, angular gyrus, and supplementary motor area; activated areas were primarily distributed in the fronto-parietal network (36%), ventral attention network (27%), dorsal attention network (18%), and default mode network (13%).
  • Common across the three subcategories were the right inferior frontal gyrus extending to insula, right median cingulate and paracingulate gyri, and right superior parietal gyrus; the common network distribution was ventral attention network (61%), fronto-parietal network (26%), default mode network (8%), and dorsal attention network (4%).
  • Subcategory network distributions were: interference resolution — ventral attention network (45%), dorsal attention network (27%), fronto-parietal network (20%); action withholding — fronto-parietal network (39%), ventral attention network (28%), default mode network (15%), dorsal attention network (14%); action cancellation — ventral attention network (38%), fronto-parietal network (35%), default mode network (16%), dorsal attention network (8%).
  • Subtraction/chi-square analyses showed interference resolution vs. action withholding differed significantly (χ² = 19.93, df = 6, p = 0.003) and interference resolution vs. action cancellation differed significantly (χ² = 22.37, df = 6, p = 0.001); interference resolution showed stronger ventral attention network activation than action inhibition, while action withholding/cancellation primarily engaged the fronto-striatal circuit.

Methods

  • Literature search used PubMed, Web of Science, and BrainMap; 4092 reports were screened and 225 full articles were included. Experiments were categorized as interference resolution (50 articles, 68 experiments, 817 foci), action withholding (117 articles, 147 contrasts, 1932 foci), and action cancellation (73 articles, 108 experiments, 1523 foci).
  • Activation coordinates were analyzed with multilevel kernel density analysis (MKDA) using a 5-mm spherical kernel, sample-size-weighted density maps, and Monte Carlo family-wise error correction (p < 0.05, FWE corrected across the entire brain); non-MNI coordinates were transformed using the Lancaster transformation.
  • Significant voxels were overlaid onto seven functional networks (fronto-parietal, dorsal attention, ventral attention, somatomotor, visual, affective, default mode); chi-square tests and subtraction analyses compared subcategories, with validation via leave-one-out cross-validation and random selection of 68 contrasts.

Limitations

  • The paper states that synthesizing different interference-resolution tasks (Stroop, Simon, Flanker, etc.) increases heterogeneity of paradigms and designs, although leave-one-out cross-validation showed highly replicable network distribution profiles; future meta-analyses with common stimulus–response incompatibility tasks are needed.
  • The paper states that simple and complex Go/NoGo tasks may not be perfectly matched across included studies; the text reports high vs. low NoGo frequency comparisons as not significantly different, but the validation table shows the high-frequency NoGo-only contrast differed significantly (χ² = 43.52, df = 6, p < 0.01).
  • The paper states that stop signal tasks may draw more on proactive than reactive control; a supplementary chi-square test found no significant difference between all contrasts and Stop–Go-only contrasts, but heterogeneity of action cancellation tasks remains a concern. Evident from the text: coordinate-based MKDA synthesizes published peak coordinates, so it cannot test individual-level or causal network dynamics.

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Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1007/s00429-017-1443-x

Cites

89 of 89 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

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Figures

Fig. 1 Number of studies investigating the neural correlates of response inhibition using fMRI over the last 15 years (1 Jan. 2001–31 Dec. 2015). Two databases—PubMed and Web of Science—were searched using the keywords “response inhibition” and “fMRI”
Fig. 1 Number of studies investigating the neural correlates of response inhibition using fMRI over the last 15 years (1 Jan. 2001–31 Dec. 2015). Two databases—PubMed and Web of Science—were searched using the keywords “response inhibition” and “fMRI”CC BY · PubMed Central
Fig. 2 Flowchart of searching and selection of literature in response inhibition
Fig. 2 Flowchart of searching and selection of literature in response inhibitionCC BY · PubMed Central
Fig. 3 Concordance of brain activation from the MKDA analyses. a Brain areas activated by all contrasts. Brain areas activated in b interference resolution, c action withholding, and d action cancellation. The color bar represents the proportion of studies exhibiting the effect at the peak density weighted by sample size (P)
Fig. 3 Concordance of brain activation from the MKDA analyses. a Brain areas activated by all contrasts. Brain areas activated in b interference resolution, c action withholding, and d action cancellation. The color bar represents the proportion of studies exhibiting the effect at the peak density weighted by sample size (P)CC BY · PubMed Central
Fig. 4 Network distribution of concordance of brain activation from the MKDA analyses. a Brain networks activated by all contrasts. Brain networks activated in b interference resolution, c action withholding, and d action cancellation. Of note, the relative distribution (relative) was estimated by the proportion of activated voxels of specific networks versus overall activated voxels; absolute distribution (absolute) was estimated by the proportion of activated voxels of specific networks versus voxels of each template network. FPN fronto-parietal network; DAN dorsal attention network; VAN ventral attention network; SMN somatomotor network; VN visual network; AFN affective network; DMN default mode network
Fig. 4 Network distribution of concordance of brain activation from the MKDA analyses. a Brain networks activated by all contrasts. Brain networks activated in b interference resolution, c action withholding, and d action cancellation. Of note, the relative distribution (relative) was estimated by the proportion of activated voxels of specific networks versus overall activated voxels; absolute distribution (absolute) was estimated by the proportion of activated voxels of specific networks versus voxels of each template network. FPN fronto-parietal network; DAN dorsal attention network; VAN ventral attention network; SMN somatomotor network; VN visual network; AFN affective network; DMN default mode networkCC BY · PubMed Central
Fig. 5 Common areas among different classifications of response inhibition. IFG.R, right inferior frontal gyrus, MCG.R, right median cingulate and paracingulate gyri
Fig. 5 Common areas among different classifications of response inhibition. IFG.R, right inferior frontal gyrus, MCG.R, right median cingulate and paracingulate gyriCC BY · PubMed Central
Fig. 6 Direct contrasts of brain activations among the different classifications of response inhibition. a and c Different regions (neural network correlates) of interference resolution (IR) contrasted with action withholding (AW). b and d Different regions (neural network correlates) for interference resolution (IR) contrasted with action cancellation (AC). e and f Different regions (neural network correlates) for action withholding (AW) in contrast with action cancellation (AC). Regions showing differences between each category were listed in the left panel, and the corresponding neural network correlates of regions which showed differences were arranged in the right panel. FPN fronto-parietal network; DAN dorsal attention network; VAN ventral attention network; SMN somatomotor network; VN visual network; AFN affective network; DMN default mode network
Fig. 6 Direct contrasts of brain activations among the different classifications of response inhibition. a and c Different regions (neural network correlates) of interference resolution (IR) contrasted with action withholding (AW). b and d Different regions (neural network correlates) for interference resolution (IR) contrasted with action cancellation (AC). e and f Different regions (neural network correlates) for action withholding (AW) in contrast with action cancellation (AC). Regions showing differences between each category were listed in the left panel, and the corresponding neural network correlates of regions which showed differences were arranged in the right panel. FPN fronto-parietal network; DAN dorsal attention network; VAN ventral attention network; SMN somatomotor network; VN visual network; AFN affective network; DMN default mode networkCC BY · PubMed Central

Verification

Claims the paper makes

54 Not checked yet · 52 Own result · 15 Own interpretation · 12 Own method · 1 Sources not found · 1 No basis given

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  • It may state two separate claims as one. 33
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 1
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 24
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  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The majority of previous studies on response inhibition have either explored only a single response inhibition task in small samples with limited statistical power or were challenging to compare because they employed various different stimuli, hindering complete conclusions.

    “Although the above findings provide important preliminary evidence of the potential common and distinct neural underpinnings of different response inhibition tasks, the majority of studies have either explored only a single response inhibition task in small samples with limited statistical power or were challenging to compare, because they employed various different stimuli (e.g., visual, auditory”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Response inhibition tasks all require the suppression of an inappropriate action and the concurrent initiation and execution of a context-appropriate alternative.

    “all require the suppression of an inappropriate action and the concurrent initiation and execution of the context-appropriate alternative”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The three subcategories of response inhibition (interference resolution, action withholding, action cancellation) are valid and distinct categories for classifying the included paradigms.

    “the three subcategories of processes associated with response inhibition”
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Metadata

Authors
Zhang, R., Geng, X., & Lee, T. M. C.
Affiliations
University of Hong Kong (HK)
Corresponding author
Lee, Tatia M. C.
Venue
Brain Structure and Function
Published
2017-05-27
Volume
222
Issue
9
Pages
3973-3990
ISSN
  • 1863-2653 (ISSN-L)
  • 1863-2661
OpenAlex
W2620553762
Cited by
398
References
89
Citations by year
2026: 26 · 2025: 63 · 2024: 61 · 2023: 55 · 2022: 53 · 2021: 59 · 2020: 33 · 2019: 32 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 1
FWCI
12.55
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Brain Structure and Function (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • The HKU Scholars Hub (University of Hong Kong) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
This project is supported by The University of Hong Kong May Endowed Professorship in Neuropsychology. (NA)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
Keywords
response inhibition, inhibitory control, interference resolution, action cancellation, right inferior frontal cortex, ventral attention network, frontoparietal network, frontostriatal circuits, right hemisphere activation, insula, paracingulate gyrus, superior parietal gyrus
MeSH terms
Brain Mapping, Frontal Lobe, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Inhibition, Psychological, Functional Laterality, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Neural Pathways, Oxygen

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