This research proposal aims to use functional magnetic resonance imaging and neurocognitive assessmentbatteries to examine the role of prefrontal cortex in the inhibition of distracting stimuli during working memory(WM) performance, and impairments of these functions in schizophrenia. The prefrontal cortex has beenproposed to serve as a protective mechanism for memories by inhibiting irrelevant stimuli, but therelationship between individual ability to inhibit and prefrontal maintenance patterns during relatively greateror less distraction has not been addressed. This study will examine the effects of varying levels ofdistraction on prefrontal activation during a spatial working memory task. The information acquired from theneuroimaging study will further be combined with behavioral neurocognitive testing measures of inhibitorycontrol to assess the role of individual differences in inhibitory ability, and the relation of these abilities topatterns of prefrontal activation and interaction with posterior brain areas. Study 1 will examine thisrelationship in healthy controls, while study 2 will focus on individuals with schizophrenia, a population withwell documented deficits in working memory, inhibition and prefrontal function.
