Figure 1.

(A) Measurement rationale with exemplary data. fNIRS: Activation in the auditory cortex (contrast: auditory target condition versus visual target condition) of an exemplary participant. Red channel numbers indicate the candidate channels for the functional channel of interest analysis (see Methods); blue channel numbers are assigned to the DLPFC. EEG: Event-related potentials following visual and auditory stimuli at electrode position P7 (grand average; N = 25, placebo condition). Brain: TMS placebo-verum coil over the right DLPFC (F4 according to the international 10–20 system). The dashed red lines from the DLPFC to the auditory cortex and fusiform face area symbolize the assumed connection between the cognitive control system (DLPFC) and sensory areas. Experimental setting: The screen and the speakers emit the target/distractor sensory input depending on the experimental block. Using the red buttons, the participants had to indicate whether they saw/heard an actor or a politician. (B) Exemplary trial sequence of the modified Stroop Task (auditory target block) with two incongruent and two congruent trials. The red dots represent the buttons used by the participants to indicate their response (auditory stimulus actor vs. politician).