The modality specific mechanisms of cross-modal cognitive control in the frontoparietal network

Cross-modal cognitive control mechanisms, particularly how top-down attention modulates modality-specific processing, remain insufficiently investigated. This study aimed to address this gap by investigating the neural and behavioral correlates of cross-modal conflict resolution. A 2×2×2 hybird-desigen cross-modal flanker paradigm using fMRI was conducted on 39 healthy adults. Participants attended to visual (Attend_Visual) or auditory (Attend_Auditory) modalities while responding to congruent/incongruent visual (V) and audio (A) stimuli. Behavioral data showed significant conflict effects: longer reaction times and lower accuracy for incongruent versus congruent conditions, with distinct interaction patterns across attentional modalities. Neuroimaging results revealed that Attend_Visual engaged the anterior cingulate cortex, insula, precentral/postcentral gyri, and occipitotemporal areas, while Attend_Auditory recruited focal lateral prefrontal regions. PPI analysis demonstrated enhanced connectivity between the left middle frontal gyrus and visual cortices (precuneus, cuneus) during AV conflict. These findings confirm a dual mechanism (supramodal conflict monitoring and modality-specific control) and highlight that top-down attention flexibly shapes cross-modal cognitive control, advancing understanding of multisensory interference resolution.