N-Back Related ERPs Depend on Stimulus Type, Task Structure, Pre-processing, and Lab Factors

• Published in: Frontiers in human neuroscience Vol. 14; p. 549966
• Main Authors: Shalchy, Mahsa Alizadeh, Pergher, Valentina, Pahor, Anja, Van Hulle, Marc M, Seitz, Aaron R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Research Foundation 28.10.2020; Frontiers Media S.A
• Subjects: Cognitive ability; cross-laboratory; Datasets; EEG; Electroencephalography; ERPs; Event-related potentials; experimental features; Experiments; Feedback; Human Neuroscience; Laboratories; Mental task performance; N-Back; pre-processing; Short term memory; working memory; United States > US; ERPs; experimental features; pre-processing; cross-laboratory; N-Back; working memory
• ISSN: 1662-5161; 1662-5161
• DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.549966

The N-Back, a common working memory (WM) updating task, is increasingly used in basic and applied psychological research. As such, an increasing number of electroencephalogram (EEG) studies have sought to identify the electrophysiological signatures of N-Back task performance. However, , , pre-processing methods, and differences in the laboratory environment, including the EEG recording setup employed, greatly vary across studies, which in turn may introduce inconsistencies in the obtained results. Here we address this issue by conducting nine different variations of an N-Back task manipulating and . Furthermore, we explored the effect of the pre-processing method used and differences in the laboratory environment. Results reveal significant differences in behavioral and electrophysiological signatures in response to N-Back , , pre-processing method, and laboratory environment. In conclusion, we suggest that experimental factors, analysis pipeline, and laboratory differences, which are often ignored in the literature, need to be accounted for when interpreting findings and making comparisons across studies.