猜谜作业中顿悟的ERP效应

采用事件相关电位(ERP)探索问题解决过程中顿悟的神经机制。以猜谜作业为实验程序，对“有顿悟”和“无顿悟”答案引发的脑电分别进行叠加和平均，并将二者相减（有顿悟-无顿悟）得到差异波。在250~500 ms “有顿悟”比“无顿悟”的ERP波形有一个更加负性的偏移，在差异波中，这个负成分的潜伏期约为380 ms（N380）。地形图和电流密度图显示，N380在额中央区活动最强。偶极子源定位分析结果显示，N380可能起源于扣带前回。因此，N380可能反映顿悟问题解决过程中思维定势的突破。

THE ERP EFFECTS OF INSIGHT IN A RIDDLE GUESSING TASK

In the present study, the event-related potential (ERP) was used to investigate the neural correlates of insight in problem solving. According to the responses of the subjects in the riddle guessing task, the answer was classified as “Insight” or “Non-insight”. The ERP waves under two conditions were obtained after the ERP elicited by the two types of answers were overlapped and averaged respectively. The difference wave was obtained through subtracting the averaged ERP of the Non-insight answer from the Averaged ERP of the Insight answer. Insight answers elicited a more negative ERP deflection than Non-insight answers in the time window from 250 to 500 ms after onset of the answer. The ERP difference wave (Insight minus Non-Insight) showed the peak latency of the component at about 380 ms (N380). Voltage and current density maps of the difference wave showed strong activity and current density in the fronto-central region. Dipole analysis localized the generator of the N380 in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Therefore, N380 might reflect the breaking of mental set in insight problem solving.