Workload-dependent hemispheric asymmetries during the emotion-cognition interaction: a close-to-naturalistic fNIRS study
DOI: 10.3389/fnrgo.2023.1273810
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Summary
This study investigates the neurophysiological correlates of the interaction between emotional distractions and cognitive workload, specifically examining how hemispheric asymmetries in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) vary under different load conditions. The research addresses a gap in existing literature, which has largely relied on simplified, well-controlled stimuli that may not reflect naturalistic environments where dynamic, socio-emotional cues compete for attention. By utilizing functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), the authors aimed to test the "asymmetric inhibition model," which posits that right-lateralized executive control inhibits positive/approach-related distractions while left-lateralized control inhibits negative/withdrawal-related distractions. The study sought to determine if these lateralized patterns hold for naturalistic emotional speech and how they shift when cognitive resources are constrained by high workload. Eighteen participants engaged in a close-to-naturalistic monitoring-control task mimicking air traffic controller duties, which required tracking and categorizing objects on a simulated radar screen. The experimental design was a 2 (low vs. high workload) × 4 (negative, neutral, positive, silence) within-subject block design. Workload was manipulated by varying the number of objects to track (12 in low, 36 in high). Concurrently, participants were exposed to 1-minute sequences of emotional speech distractions derived from the Berlin Emo-DB, containing positive, negative, or neutral valence. fNIRS data were recorded using a 14-source/14-detector montage targeting the orbitofrontal cortex, dorsolateral PFC, and ventrolateral PFC. Data preprocessing included channel pruning, artifact repair, and conversion to hemoglobin concentration changes. The results revealed significant hemispheric asymmetries in PFC activity that depended on both the valence of the distraction and the workload level. A cross-over interaction indicated that during high workload, negative distractions triggered left-hemispheric inhibition processes, specifically involving the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Conversely, under low workload, positive distractions elicited left-hemispheric PFC recruitment, potentially associated with speech-related semantic processing rather than pure inhibition. Additionally, the study found a workload-independent "negativity bias" for neutral distractions, where brain activation patterns resembled those of negative distractions, suggesting that neutral stimuli are processed with a negative valence bias when cognitive resources are limited. These findings challenge the static assumptions of the asymmetric inhibition model, demonstrating that lateralized hemispheric processing is not fixed but is modulated by task demands and stimulus characteristics. The study highlights that high workload can reverse or alter typical lateralization patterns, such as the recruitment of the left hemisphere for positive stimuli under low load. The implications are significant for understanding real-world human-machine interactions, suggesting that emotional-cognition interplay in naturalistic settings (e.g., working environments) is more complex than laboratory paradigms suggest. The use of fNIRS in a naturalistic context provides a viable method for studying these dynamic processes, offering insights into how cognitive control mechanisms adapt to competing emotional and cognitive demands.
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| Stage | Outcome | Tool | Model | Prompt | Attempts | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| discover | success | Crossref | — | — | 1 | 2026-08-09 |
| archive | success | canonical_url | — | — | 1 | 2026-08-09 |
| extract | success | cached | — | — | 5 | 2026-08-23 |
| clean | success | clean | — | — | 2 | 2026-08-10 |
| chunk | success | chunk | — | — | 2 | 2026-08-10 |
| embed | success | embed | Qwen/Qwen3-Embedding-8B | — | 2 | 2026-08-10 |
| promote | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-08-09 |
| summarize | success | llm | qwen3.8-27b-gittensor | summ-v5 | 3 | 2026-08-23 |
| tag | success | vector_similarity | — | — | 17 | 2026-08-11 |
| verify | success | — | — | — | 2 | 2026-08-09 |
Summary generated by qwen3.8-27b-gittensor on 2026-08-23; verification: pending re-verification.
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- Empirical Findings: physiological data