Background The catecholaminergic system influences response inhibition, but the magnitude of the impact of catecholaminergic manipulation is heterogeneous. Theoretical considerations suggest that the voluntary modulability of theta band activity can explain this variance. The study aimed to investigate to what extent interindividual differences in catecholaminergic effects on response inhibition depend on voluntary theta band activity modulation. Methods N=67 healthy adults were tested in a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study design. On each appointment, they received a single dose of methylphenidate or placebo and performed a Go/Nogo task with stimuli of varying complexity. Before the first appointment the individual’s ability to modulate theta band activity was measured. Recorded EEG data were analyzed using temporal decomposition and multivariate-pattern-analysis (MVPA). Results Methylphenidate effects and voluntary modulability of theta band activity showed an interactive effect on the false alarm rates of the different Nogo conditions. The MVPA revealed that methylphenidate effects interacted with voluntary modulability of theta band activity at a stimulus processing level, whereas during response selection methylphenidate effects interacted with the complexity of the Nogo condition. Conclusions The findings reveal that the individual’s theta band modulability affects the responsiveness of an individual’s catecholaminergic system to pharmacological modulation. Thus, the impact of pharmacological manipulation of the catecholaminergic system on cognitive control most likely depends on the existing ability to self-modulate relevant brain oscillatory patterns underlying the cognitive processes being targeted by pharmacological modulations.

中文翻译：

---

自主调节 θ 带活动的能力会影响儿茶酚胺能系统的药理学操作如何影响认知控制

背景 儿茶酚胺能系统影响反应抑制，但儿茶酚胺能操纵的影响程度是异质的。理论上的考虑表明，θ 带活动的自愿调节可以解释这种差异。该研究旨在调查儿茶酚胺能对反应抑制的影响的个体差异在多大程度上取决于自愿的θ带活动调节。方法 采用随机、双盲、交叉研究设计对 N=67 名健康成年人进行测试。每次预约时，他们都会接受单剂量的哌醋甲酯或安慰剂，并执行具有不同复杂性刺激的 Go/Nogo 任务。在第一次预约之前，测量了个人调节 θ 带活动的能力。使用时间分解和多变量模式分析（MVPA）对记录的脑电图数据进行分析。结果哌醋甲酯效应和 θ 带活动的自主调节性对不同 Nogo 条件的误报率显示出交互作用。MVPA 揭示，哌醋甲酯效应与刺激处理水平上 θ 带活动的自愿调节相互作用，而在反应选择过程中，哌醋甲酯效应与 Nogo 条件的复杂性相互作用。结论 研究结果表明，个体的 θ 带可调节性影响个体儿茶酚胺能系统对药理学调节的反应性。因此，儿茶酚胺能系统的药理学操作对认知控制的影响很可能取决于现有的自我调节相关大脑振荡模式的能力，这些模式是药理学调节所针对的认知过程的基础。