The role of cue transparency in task switching: an SDM-PSI meta-analysis in healthy adults.

Cognitive flexibility, the ability to seamlessly switch between tasks, is essential for daily life in humans. It is commonly assessed using the task-switching paradigm, where the participants need to memorize cue-task associations and retrieve them when they view a cue. The cue transparency, or how clearly a cue is linked to the task, significantly affects cognitive flexibility. Compared to non-transparent cues (non-TCs), which elevate cognitive demands, transparent cues (TCs) lower cognitive load and facilitate smoother task switching. However, the neural responses reflecting the impact of cue transparency on task switching remain insufficiently understood. To address this, we conducted a coordinate-based neuroimaging meta-analysis using seed-based d mapping (SDM-PSI), analyzing 25 fMRI studies to identify neural correlates associated with transparent and non-TCs in task switching. We first identified key regions involved in task switching, including the left supplementary motor area, left precuneus, and bilateral insula. Further analysis revealed that under TCs, the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and inferior parietal gyrus were predominantly engaged, whereas under non-TCs, the precentral gyrus and middle frontal gyrus were primarily recruited. Exploratory analyses clarified how cue transparency affects neural activity, revealing that, compared to TCs, non-TCs were associated with decreased activation in regions such as the left IFG and bilateral precentral gyrus during task switching. Our findings reveal the influence of cue transparency on the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive flexibility, thereby advancing our understanding of adaptive task-switching processes.