Figure 5 depicts comparisons of the TSE waveforms between switch and

repeat trials as a function of sensory modality, with the auditory modality depicted in panel A and visual modality in panel B. Almost completely overlapping TSE waveforms were observed for switch selleck chemical and repeat trials in the auditory modality, and the corresponding SCP map (right column) shows no evidence for any major periods of differential alpha-band activity as a function of this switch vs. repeat comparison. Simply put, when it came to anticipatory deployment of alpha-band activity in advance of performance of an auditory task, there was no evidence for differential deployment as a function of whether individuals were in the process of switching tasks vs. simply repeating the same auditory task. In contrast, robust differential TSE modulations were evident for the comparison of switch and repeat trials when the brain was being prepared to perform the impending visual task. An early difference (~200–350 ms) focused over frontal scalp regions was evident in the SCP, as was a more broadly distributed difference

over both frontal and posterior scalp in the period between ~600 and 1100 ms. Topographical mapping of differential alpha-band activity during auditory anticipation (panel C) revealed little evidence for robust differential alpha-band activity, although from ~700 to 1200 ms a modest focus of differential activity could be seen over parieto-occipital scalp. However, as above, this differential activity did not reach conventional levels of significance. selleck chemicals llc For the visual modality, on the other hand, there were two clearly defined foci of differential activity, the most prominent of which was evident over parieto-occipital scalp, with a second clear focus evident over the midline frontopolar scalp (panel D). Formal statistical analysis of these apparent differences using repeated-measures anova revealed main effects of Modality (F1,15 = 9.38, P = 0.008), Time (F1,15 = 9.33, P = 0.008) and Scalp Region (F1,15 = 9.21, P = 0.008), as well as significant interactions of Trial × Modality (F1,15 = 5.55,

P = 0.032). Given the significant Trial × Modality interaction, many we followed up with two protected anovas, testing differential alpha band activity associated with task-set reconfiguration processes between and within modalities (see ‘Materials and methods’ section for rationale). The between-modalities anova tests differences in anticipatory alpha power between visual and auditory modality considering Trial (switch vs. repeat), Time (early vs. late) and Region (frontal vs. parietal) as factors. The within-modality anova tests differences in anticipatory alpha power between switch and repeat trials considering Modality (visuals vs. auditory), Time (early vs. late) and Region (frontal vs. parietal) as factors.