Out with the Old and in with the New—Is Backward Inhibition a Domain-Specific Process?

Foti, Francesca; Sdoia, Stefano; Menghini, Deny; Vicari, Stefano; Petrosini, Laura; Ferlazzo, Fabio · 2015 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142613

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Summary

This study investigates whether Backward Inhibition (BI), the cognitive mechanism that suppresses recently executed tasks to facilitate switching, is a domain-general process or specific to the type of material being processed (verbal vs. visuo-spatial). While BI is known to improve task-switching efficiency by inhibiting interference from previous tasks, it remains unclear if this inhibition operates independently of input modality or if distinct mechanisms exist for verbal and spatial information. To address this, the authors utilized a clinical population with Williams syndrome (WS), characterized by preserved linguistic abilities but significant deficits in visuo-spatial processing, alongside a mental age- and gender-matched group of typically developing (TD) children. The researchers conducted three task-switching experiments. Experiment 1 assessed verbal BI using a computerized paradigm where participants categorized animal names based on leg count, size, or word color. Experiments 2 and 3 assessed visuo-spatial BI; Experiment 2 involved searching for a hidden target on a computerized six-arm star, while Experiment 3 utilized a large-scale radial maze to test ecological validity. Performance was measured by comparing reaction times or exploration patterns in alternating sequences (A-B-A, where the first task repeats) versus non-alternating sequences (C-B-A). The presence of a BI effect is indicated by slower performance or increased exploration in A-B-A sequences due to the residual inhibition of the re-engaged task. Results demonstrated a clear dissociation based on material type. In the verbal task-switching experiment, both WS and TD groups exhibited significant BI effects, evidenced by slower reaction times in A-B-A sequences compared to C-B-A sequences. This indicates that individuals with WS possess intact inhibitory control mechanisms for verbal information. Conversely, in the visuo-spatial experiments, TD children showed a robust BI effect, exploring more locations in A-B-A sequences to avoid previously visited spots. However, individuals with WS failed to show this effect, displaying no significant difference in exploration between A-B-A and C-B-A sequences. This absence of BI in the WS group during spatial tasks suggests a specific deficit in inhibiting visuo-spatial task sets. The findings conclude that Backward Inhibition is a material-specific process rather than a domain-general one. The dissociation observed in individuals with Williams syndrome provides evidence that inhibitory control mechanisms are distinct for verbal and visuo-spatial domains. This challenges theoretical models that assume a unitary, amodal architecture for cognitive control and suggests that executive functions are modulated by the nature of the information being processed. These results have significant implications for understanding the neural architecture of cognitive flexibility and the specific cognitive profiles associated with developmental disorders.

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• executive function