The interplay between executive functions and updating predictive representations
Abstract Modifying habits, particularly unwanted behaviors, is often challenging. Cognitive research has focused on understanding the mechanisms underlying habit formation and how habits can be rewired. A key mechanism is statistical learning, the continuous, implicit extraction of probabilistic pat...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-14876-2 |
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| author | Felipe Pedraza Teodóra Vékony Bence C. Farkas Frederic Haesebaert Romane Phelipon Imola Mihalecz Karolina Janacsek Barbara Tillmann Royce Anders Gaën Plancher Dezso Nemeth |
| author_facet | Felipe Pedraza Teodóra Vékony Bence C. Farkas Frederic Haesebaert Romane Phelipon Imola Mihalecz Karolina Janacsek Barbara Tillmann Royce Anders Gaën Plancher Dezso Nemeth |
| author_sort | Felipe Pedraza |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Modifying habits, particularly unwanted behaviors, is often challenging. Cognitive research has focused on understanding the mechanisms underlying habit formation and how habits can be rewired. A key mechanism is statistical learning, the continuous, implicit extraction of probabilistic patterns from the environment, which forms the basis of predictive processing. However, the interplay between executive functions (EF) and the rewiring – or updating – of these probabilistic representations remains largely unexplored. To address this gap, we conducted an experiment consisting of four sessions: (1) Learning Phase – acquisition of probabilistic representations, (2) Rewiring Phase – updating these probabilistic representations, (3) Retrieval Phase – accessing learned representations, and (4) EF assessment, targeting five key aspects: attentional control, inhibition, working memory, flexibility, and verbal fluency. We focused on the relationship between these EF measures and the updating of previously acquired knowledge using an interindividual differences approach. Our results revealed a positive relationship between rewiring and inhibition, suggesting that better inhibitory control may facilitate the adaptive restructuring of probabilistic predictive representations. Conversely, a negative relationship was identified between rewiring and semantic fluency, implying that certain underlying aspects of verbal fluency tasks, such as access to long-term memory representations, may hinder the updating process. We interpret this relationship through the lens of competitive memory network models. Our findings indicate that the rewiring of implicit probabilistic representations is a multifaceted cognitive process requiring both the suppression of proactive interference from prior knowledge through cognitive inhibition and a strong reliance on model-free functioning. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3ad5247ba4974dd985e28c5712ee3333 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-3ad5247ba4974dd985e28c5712ee33332025-08-24T11:19:24ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-08-0115111610.1038/s41598-025-14876-2The interplay between executive functions and updating predictive representationsFelipe Pedraza0Teodóra Vékony1Bence C. Farkas2Frederic Haesebaert3Romane Phelipon4Imola Mihalecz5Karolina Janacsek6Barbara Tillmann7Royce Anders8Gaën Plancher9Dezso Nemeth10Laboratoire d’Étude des Mécanismes Cognitifs, Université Lumière Lyon 2Gran Canaria Cognitive Research Center, Department of Education and Psychology, Atlántico Medio UniversityUVSQ, INSERM, CESP, Université Paris-SaclayCentre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, INSERM, CNRS, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CRNL U1028 UMR5292Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, INSERM, CNRS, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CRNL U1028 UMR5292Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, INSERM, CNRS, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CRNL U1028 UMR5292Centre for Thinking and Learning, Institute for Lifecourse Development, School of Human Sciences, Faculty of Education, Health and Human Sciences, University of GreenwichCentre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, INSERM, CNRS, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CRNL U1028 UMR5292EPSYLON Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University Paul ValéryLaboratoire d’Étude des Mécanismes Cognitifs, Université Lumière Lyon 2Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, INSERM, CNRS, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CRNL U1028 UMR5292Abstract Modifying habits, particularly unwanted behaviors, is often challenging. Cognitive research has focused on understanding the mechanisms underlying habit formation and how habits can be rewired. A key mechanism is statistical learning, the continuous, implicit extraction of probabilistic patterns from the environment, which forms the basis of predictive processing. However, the interplay between executive functions (EF) and the rewiring – or updating – of these probabilistic representations remains largely unexplored. To address this gap, we conducted an experiment consisting of four sessions: (1) Learning Phase – acquisition of probabilistic representations, (2) Rewiring Phase – updating these probabilistic representations, (3) Retrieval Phase – accessing learned representations, and (4) EF assessment, targeting five key aspects: attentional control, inhibition, working memory, flexibility, and verbal fluency. We focused on the relationship between these EF measures and the updating of previously acquired knowledge using an interindividual differences approach. Our results revealed a positive relationship between rewiring and inhibition, suggesting that better inhibitory control may facilitate the adaptive restructuring of probabilistic predictive representations. Conversely, a negative relationship was identified between rewiring and semantic fluency, implying that certain underlying aspects of verbal fluency tasks, such as access to long-term memory representations, may hinder the updating process. We interpret this relationship through the lens of competitive memory network models. Our findings indicate that the rewiring of implicit probabilistic representations is a multifaceted cognitive process requiring both the suppression of proactive interference from prior knowledge through cognitive inhibition and a strong reliance on model-free functioning.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-14876-2 |
| spellingShingle | Felipe Pedraza Teodóra Vékony Bence C. Farkas Frederic Haesebaert Romane Phelipon Imola Mihalecz Karolina Janacsek Barbara Tillmann Royce Anders Gaën Plancher Dezso Nemeth The interplay between executive functions and updating predictive representations Scientific Reports |
| title | The interplay between executive functions and updating predictive representations |
| title_full | The interplay between executive functions and updating predictive representations |
| title_fullStr | The interplay between executive functions and updating predictive representations |
| title_full_unstemmed | The interplay between executive functions and updating predictive representations |
| title_short | The interplay between executive functions and updating predictive representations |
| title_sort | interplay between executive functions and updating predictive representations |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-14876-2 |
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