Editing Stroop effect (section)

== Neuroanatomy ==
[[File:MRI anterior cingulate.png|thumb|alt=Sagittal MRI slice with highlighting indicating location of the anterior cingulate cortex.|The anterior cingulate gyrus shows increased activity when viewing conflicting stimulus.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Principles of cognitive neuroscience|publisher=Sinauer Associates Inc. of Oxford University Press Publishers|last1 = Purves | first1 = Dale
| last2 = LaBar | first2 = Kevin S.| last3 = Platt | first3 = Michael L.| last4 = Woldorff | first4 = Marty| last5 = Cabeza | first5 = Roberto| last6 = Huettel | first6 = Scott A.|date=1 November 2012|isbn=9780878935734|edition= Second|oclc=795553755}}</ref>{{rp|454}}]]
[[Neuroimaging|Brain imaging]] techniques including [[magnetic resonance imaging]] (MRI), [[functional magnetic resonance imaging]] (fMRI), and [[positron emission tomography]] (PET) have shown that there are two main areas in the brain that are involved in the processing of the Stroop task.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Pardo|first1=Jose V|last2=Pardo|first2=Patricia J|last3=Janer|first3=Kevin W|last4=Raichle|first4=Marcus E|title=The anterior cingulate cortex mediates processing selection in the Stroop attentional conflict paradigm|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA|date=1 January 1990|volume=87|issue=1|pages=256–259|pmid=2296583|doi=10.1073/pnas.87.1.256|pmc=53241|bibcode=1990PNAS...87..256P|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Taylor|first=S|title=Isolation Of Specific Interference Processing In The Stroop Task: PET Activation Studies.|journal=NeuroImage|year=1997|volume=6|issue=2|pages=81–92|doi=10.1006/nimg.1997.0285|pmid=9299382|s2cid=21776880}}</ref> They are the [[anterior cingulate cortex]], and the [[dorsolateral prefrontal cortex]].<ref name="Milham 2003 483–493">{{cite journal|last=Milham|first=M|title=Practice-related Effects Demonstrate Complementary Roles Of Anterior Cingulate And Prefrontal Cortices In Attentional Control|journal=NeuroImage|year=2003|volume=18|issue=2|pages=483–493|doi=10.1016/s1053-8119(02)00050-2|pmid=12595201}}</ref> More specifically, while both are activated when resolving conflicts and catching errors, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex assists in memory and other executive functions, while the anterior cingulate cortex is used to select an appropriate response and allocate attentional resources.<ref name="Banich 2000 988–1000">{{cite journal|last=Banich|first=M|title=fMRI Studies of Stroop Tasks Reveal Unique Roles of Anterior and Posterior Brain Systems in Attentional Selection|journal=Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience|year=2000|volume=12|issue=6|pages=988–1000|doi=10.1162/08989290051137521|pmid=11177419|display-authors=etal|citeseerx=10.1.1.544.5571|s2cid=10145375}}</ref>

The posterior dorsolateral prefrontal cortex creates the appropriate rules for the brain to accomplish the current goal.<ref name="Banich 2000 988–1000" />  For the Stroop effect, this involves activating the areas of the brain involved in color perception, but not those involved in word encoding.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Bush|first=G|title=The Counting Stroop: An Interference Task Specialized For Functional Neuroimaging Validation Study With Functional MRI|journal=Human Brain Mapping|year=1998|volume=6|issue=4|pages=270–288|doi=10.1002/(sici)1097-0193(1998)6:4<270::aid-hbm6>3.3.co;2-h|pmid=9704265|pmc=6873370|display-authors=etal|citeseerx=10.1.1.501.6259}}</ref>  It counteracts biases and irrelevant information, for instance,  the fact that the semantic perception of the word is more striking than the color in which it is printed.  Next, the mid-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex selects the representation that will fulfill the goal. The relevant information must be separated from irrelevant information in the task; thus, the focus is placed on the ink color and not the word.<ref name="Banich 2000 988–1000" />
Furthermore, research has suggested that left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activation during a Stroop task is related to an individual's’ expectation regarding the conflicting nature of the upcoming trial, and not so much on the conflict itself. Conversely, the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex aims to reduce the [[attention]]al conflict and is activated after the conflict is over.<ref name="Milham 2003 483–493" />

Moreover, the posterior dorsal anterior cingulate cortex is responsible for what decision is made (i.e. whether someone will say the written word or the ink color).<ref name="Milham 2003 483–493" />  Following the response, the anterior dorsal anterior cingulate cortex is involved in response evaluation—deciding whether the answer is correct or incorrect. Activity in this region increases when the probability of an error is higher.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Gruber|first=S|title=Stroop Performance in Normal Control Subjects: An fMRI Study|journal=NeuroImage|year=2002|volume=16|issue=2|pages=349–360|doi=10.1006/nimg.2002.1089|pmid=12030821|s2cid=14424164|display-authors=etal}}</ref>