Reward improves response inhibition by enhancing attentional capture

Reward plays a crucial role in enhancing response inhibition. While it is generally assumed that the process of response inhibition involves attentional capture and the stopping of action, it is unclear whether this reflects a direct impact of reward on response inhibition or rather an indirect mediation via attentional capture. Here, we employed a revised stop-signal task (SST) that separated these two cognitive elements, by including a continue signal that required the same motor response as in go trials, but also attention to a cue, as in stop trials. We first confirmed the engagement of the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) during stop and continue trials, both of which required the attentional capture of the task-relevant cue, but only one of which required motor inhibition. The pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) was specifically activated by the contrast of the stop trials with the continue trials. The results indicated that the IFG played an important role in attentional capture by unexpected stimuli, while the pre-SMA was responsible for the direct control of motor inhibition. Behavioral performance of the SST was improved by reward, and moreover, reward induced an increase in IFG activity. In addition, this advantageous reward effect was associated with enhanced connectivity between the anterior cingulate cortex and the IFG. These results indicated that the reward facilitation effect on response inhibition was indirect, occurring via a change in attentional processing. The present data confirm the specific function of the IFG and pre-SMA in response inhibition and provide straightforward evidence that reward can increase attentional capture-related activation in the IFG, which in turn improves the performance of response inhibition.