Understanding the neural mechanisms of emotion-cognition interaction via high resolution mapping in space, time, frequency, and information transfer

Interactions between emotional and cognitive processing play a critical role in determining human behavior. The ability to efficiently control these interactions is essential for goal-directed behavior. Previous research on emotion-cognition interaction in humans has primarily focused on its neural topography using techniques with either low temporal resolution (fMRI) or low spatial resolution (ERP), leaving the underlying neuronal mechanisms and their behavioral implications poorly understood. Here, we used EEG recordings from a large cohort of human participants (N=121) and employed source-reconstruction with finite-element head modeling during an emotional Flanker task. Our findings reveal a neural interaction between emotional interference and cognitive control within the pars triangularis of the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG). These results align spatially and conceptually with meta-analytic evidence from fMRI studies on interference inhibition processes, supporting the idea that the rIFG is crucial for interference inhibition, regardless of the interfering information type. Notably, the neural interaction between emotion and cognition in the rIFG was transient, peaking during the transition from emotional to cognitive processing, and was most pronounced in the beta-frequency band. Furthermore, conditional Granger-causality analysis of information flow indicated that the pars triangularis of the rIFG communicated with other functional subdivisions of the rIFG and parieto-occipital areas (such as the Precuneus and V2) in a frequency-specific manner. This information flow predicted individual emotional and cognitive interference effects on behavior. Overall, our findings highlight the functional and temporal segregation and integration of emotion, cognition, and their interaction in the rIFG. Furthermore, rIFGs top-down modulation of visuo-attentional areas, ultimately shaping behavioral performance, underscores the importance of stimulus interference inhibition for emotion-cognition interaction. Author summaryUnderstanding the interplay between emotion and cognition is crucial for understanding human behavior. Our study investigates the role of transient oscillatory activity using source-localized EEG in a large cohort. We identify a spatial overlap of the interaction of emotion and cognition processing in the rIFGs pars triangularis, aligning closely with localizations indicated by meta-analytic fMRI evidence. This interaction, primarily in the beta-frequency (around 20Hz) band, is transient, peaking during the shift from emotional to cognitive processing. Granger-causality analysis reveals frequency-specific communication patterns within the rIFG and parieto-occipital areas, predicting individual emotional and cognitive interference effects. Our findings elucidate the functional and temporal dynamics of emotion-cognition interaction within the rIFG, providing insights into the nuanced neural processes shaping human behavior.