Fig 1.
Testing procedure, visual analogue scale (VAS) rating and N-back task (3-back).
Every subject underwent three fMRI scanning sessions with an intersession interval of 7 days, at consistent daytimes and weekdays. Each of the fMRI scanning sessions included: (i) a structural T1-weighted fMRI; (ii) a subsequent break of 8:30 minutes, during which subjects engaged in “eyes-open resting,” “listening to music,” or “playing a video game”; immediately after the break, subjects were asked to rate the levels of their relaxation at the moment via VAS; and finally (iii) the fMRI n-back task (using a n-back working memory task). In the n-back working memory task, random white numbers were presented on a black background for 500 ms each, followed by a white fixation cross. The length of the interstimulus interval (ISI) was 1000 ms. Heart rate data were acquired during the whole fMRI scans.
Table 1.
Sociodemographic information, characteristics of subjects, and neuropsychological test performance.
Fig 2.
**p < .0166. Please note that p < .0166 indicates the significance threshold after applying Bonferroni-correction for three comparisons. Horizontal lines in the scatterplots indicate means. Error bars represent standard errors of the mean. (A) Task performance in n-back as a function of memory load (0-back vs. 3-back) and break activity (game vs. music vs. rest). (B) Self-reported relaxation levels on visual analogue scores for game, music, and rest conditions. Visual analogue scales (VAS) were adapted from Bond & Lader (1974). (C) Heart rate during game, music, and rest conditions.
Fig 3.
Neural correlates of break effects in the n-back task (t-tests for the 3-back vs. implicit baseline contrast).
Only results are displayed that were significant at p < .05, FWE cluster-corrected (k >62 voxel). Whole-brain results of activation changes in the bilateral supplementary motor area (SMA, peak voxel (x = 6, y = 5, z = 53), k = 67, t(46) = 4.60, p < .001) for the contrast (music > game) in 3-back task.