scholarly journals Planning the potential future during multi-item visual working memory

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rose Nasrawi ◽  
Freek van Ede
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Action Planning ◽  
Beta Activity ◽  
Response Hand ◽  
Manual Responses ◽  
Human Participants

Working memory allows us to retain visual information to guide upcoming future behavior. In line with this future-oriented purpose of working memory, recent studies have shown that action planning occurs during encoding and retention of a single visual item, for which the upcoming action is certain. We asked whether and how this extends to multi-item visual working memory, when visual representations serve the potential future. Human participants performed a visual working memory task with a memory-load manipulation (one/two/four items), and a delayed orientation-reproduction report (of one item). We measured EEG to track 15-25 Hz beta activity in electrodes contralateral to the required response hand - a canonical marker of action planning. We show an attenuation of beta activity, not only in load one (with one certain future action), but also in load two (with two potential future actions), compared to load four (with low prospective-action certainty). Moreover, in load two, potential action planning occurs regardless whether both visual items afford similar or dissimilar manual responses; and it predicts the speed of ensuing memory-guided behavior. This shows that potential action planning occurs during multi- item visual working memory, and brings the perspective that working memory helps us prepare for the potential future.

Effects of a secondary task and working memory load on multisensory hand position

2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (0) ◽  
pp. 58
Author(s):  
Katrina Quinn ◽  
Francia Acosta-Saltos ◽  
Jan W. de Fockert ◽  
Charles Spence ◽  
Andrew J. Bremner
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Secondary Task ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Hand Position ◽  
Working Memory Load ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Task Conditions ◽  
Relative Weighting

Information about where our hands are arises from different sensory modalities; chiefly proprioception and vision. These inputs differ in variability from situation to situation (or task to task). According to the idea of ‘optimal integration’, the information provided by different sources is combined in proportion to their relative reliabilities, thus maximizing the reliability of the combined estimate. It is uncertain whether optimal multisensory integration of multisensory contributions to limb position requires executive resources. If so, then it should be possible to observe effects of secondary task performance and/or working memory load (WML) on the relative weighting of the senses under conditions of crossmodal sensory conflict. Alternatively, an integrated signal may be affected by upstream influences of WML or a secondary task on the reliabilities of the individual sensory inputs. We examine these possibilities in two experiments which examine effects of WML on reaching tasks in which bisensory visual-proprioceptive (Exp. 1), and unisensory proprioceptive (Exp. 2) cues to hand position are provided. WML increased visual capture under conditions of visual-proprioceptive conflict, regardless of the direction of visual-proprioceptive conflict, and the degree of load imposed. This indicates that task-switching (rather than WML load) leads to an increased reliance on visual information regardless of its task-specific reliability (Exp. 1). This could not be explained due to an increase in the variability of proprioception under secondary working memory task conditions (Exp. 2). We conclude that executive resources are involved in the relative weighting of visual and proprioceptive cues to hand position.

scholarly journals Brain Processing of Complex Geometric Forms in a Visual Memory Task Increases P2 Amplitude

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 114
Author(s):  
Héctor A. Cepeda-Freyre ◽  
Gregorio Garcia-Aguilar ◽  
Jose R. Eguibar ◽  
Carmen Cortes
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Visual Memory ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Test Phase ◽  
Related Potentials

We study the cognitive processing of visual working memory in three different conditions of memory load and configuration change. Altering this features has been shown to alter the brain’s processing in memory tasks. Most studies dealing with this issue have used the verbal-phonological modality. We use complex geometric polygons to assess visual working memory in a modified change detection task. Three different types of backgrounds were used to manipulate memory loading and 18 complex geometric polygons to manipulate stimuli configuration. The goal of our study was to test whether the memory load and configuration affect the correct-recall ratios. We expected that increasing visual items loading and changing configuration of items would induce differences in working memory performance. Brain activity related to the task was assessed through event-related potentials (ERP), during the test phase of each trial. Our results showed that visual items loading and changing of item configuration affect working memory on test phase on ERP component P2, but does not affect performance. However frontal related ERP component—P3—was minimally affected by visual memory loading or configuration changing, supporting that working memory is related to a filtering processing in posterior brain regions.

ERP effects of methylphenidate and working memory load in healthy adults during a serial visual working memory task

2010 ◽  
Vol 482 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra Studer ◽  
Susanne Wangler ◽  
Martin S. Diruf ◽  
Oliver Kratz ◽  
Gunther H. Moll ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Healthy Adults ◽  
Working Memory Load

scholarly journals Visual and verbal working memory loads interfere with scene viewing

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Cronin ◽  
Candace Elise Peacock ◽  
John M. Henderson
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Eye Movements ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Verbal Memory ◽  
Visual Memory ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Verbal Working Memory ◽  
Working Memory Load ◽  
Scene Viewing

Working memory is thought to be divided into distinct visual and verbal subsystems. Studies of visual working memory frequently use verbal working memory tasks as control conditions and/or use articulatory suppression to ensure visual load remains in visual memory. Using these verbal tasks relies on the assumption that the verbal working memory load will not interfere with the same processes as visual working memory. In the present study, participants maintained a visual or verbal working memory load while simultaneously viewing scenes. Because eye movements and visual working memory are closely linked, we anticipated the visual load would interfere with scene viewing (and vice versa), while the verbal load would not. Surprisingly, both visual and verbal memory loads interfered with scene viewing behavior, while scene viewing did not significantly interfere with performance on either memory task. These results suggest that a verbal working memory load can interfere with a visual task and contribute to the growing literature suggesting the visual and verbal subsystems of working memory are less distinct than previously thought. Our data also stands at odds with previous work suggesting that visual working memory is obligatorily recruited by saccadic eye movements.

scholarly journals Electrophysiological correlates of the flexible allocation of visual working memory resources

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Salahub ◽  
Holly A. Lockhart ◽  
Blaire Dube ◽  
Naseem Al-Aidroos ◽  
Stephen M. Emrich
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Resource Allocation ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Continuous Model ◽  
Attentional Selection ◽  
Distribution Of Resources ◽  
Flexible Resource ◽  
Memory Resources

AbstractVisual working memory is a brief, capacity-limited store of visual information that is involved in a large number of cognitive functions. To guide one’s behavior effectively, one must efficiently allocate these limited memory resources across memory items. Previous research has suggested that items are either stored in memory or completely blocked from memory access. However, recent behavioral work proposes that memory resources can be flexibly split across items based on their level of task importance. Here, we investigated the electrophysiological correlates of flexible resource allocation by manipulating the distribution of resources amongst systematically lateralized memory items. We examined the contralateral delay activity (CDA), a waveform typically associated with the number of items held in memory. Across three experiments, we found that, in addition to memory load, the CDA flexibly tracks memory resource allocation. This allocation occurred as early as attentional selection, as indicated by the N2pc. Additionally, CDA amplitude was better-described when fit with a continuous model predicted by load and resources together than when fit with either alone. Our findings show that electrophysiological markers of attentional selection and memory maintenance not only track memory load, but also the proportion of memory resources those items receive.

scholarly journals Electrophysiological correlates of the flexible allocation of visual working memory resources

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Salahub ◽  
Holly A. Lockhart ◽  
Blaire Dube ◽  
Naseem Al-Aidroos ◽  
Stephen M. Emrich
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Resource Allocation ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Continuous Model ◽  
Attentional Selection ◽  
Distribution Of Resources ◽  
Flexible Resource ◽  
Memory Resources

AbstractVisual working memory is a brief, capacity-limited store of visual information that is involved in a large number of cognitive functions. To guide one’s behavior effectively, one must efficiently allocate these limited memory resources across memory items. Previous research has suggested that items are either stored in memory or completely blocked from memory access. However, recent behavioral work proposes that memory resources can be flexibly split across items based on their level of task importance. Here, we investigated the electrophysiological correlates of flexible resource allocation by manipulating the distribution of resources amongst systematically lateralized memory items. We examined the contralateral delay activity (CDA), a waveform typically associated with the number of items held in memory. Across three experiments, we found that, in addition to memory load, the CDA flexibly tracks memory resource allocation. This allocation occurred as early as attentional selection, as indicated by the N2pc. Additionally, CDA amplitude was better-described when fit with a continuous model predicted by load and resources together than when fit with either alone. Our findings show that electrophysiological markers of attentional selection and memory maintenance not only track memory load, but also the proportion of memory resources those items receive.

scholarly journals Does perceptual grouping improve visuospatial working memory? Optimized processing or encoding bias

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Prieto ◽  
Vanesa Peinado ◽  
Julia Mayas
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Change Detection ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Detection Accuracy ◽  
Visuospatial Working Memory ◽  
Gestalt Grouping ◽  
Color Similarity ◽  
Automatic Encoding ◽  
Change Detection Performance

AbstractVisual working memory has been defined as a system of limited capacity that enables the maintenance and manipulation of visual information. However, some perceptual features like Gestalt grouping could improve visual working memory effectiveness. In two different experiments, we aimed to explore how the presence of elements grouped by color similarity affects the change detection performance of both, grouped and non-grouped items. We combined a change detection task with a retrocue paradigm in which a six item array had to be remembered. An always valid, variable-delay retrocue appeared in some trials during the retention interval, either after 100 ms (iconic-trace period) or 1400 ms (working memory period), signaling the location of the probe. The results indicated that similarity grouping biased the information entered into the visual working memory, improving change detection accuracy only for previously grouped probes, but hindering change detection for non-grouped probes in certain conditions (Exp. 1). However, this bottom-up automatic encoding bias was overridden when participants were explicitly instructed to ignore grouped items as they were irrelevant for the task (Exp. 2).

scholarly journals Are visual working memory and episodic memory distinct processes? Insight from stroke patients by lesion-symptom mapping

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Selma Lugtmeijer ◽  
◽  
Linda Geerligs ◽  
Frank Erik de Leeuw ◽  
Edward H. F. de Haan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Visual Memory ◽  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Lesion Symptom Mapping ◽  
Criterion Setting ◽  
The Right

AbstractWorking memory and episodic memory are two different processes, although the nature of their interrelationship is debated. As these processes are predominantly studied in isolation, it is unclear whether they crucially rely on different neural substrates. To obtain more insight in this, 81 adults with sub-acute ischemic stroke and 29 elderly controls were assessed on a visual working memory task, followed by a surprise subsequent memory test for the same stimuli. Multivariate, atlas- and track-based lesion-symptom mapping (LSM) analyses were performed to identify anatomical correlates of visual memory. Behavioral results gave moderate evidence for independence between discriminability in working memory and subsequent memory, and strong evidence for a correlation in response bias on the two tasks in stroke patients. LSM analyses suggested there might be independent regions associated with working memory and episodic memory. Lesions in the right arcuate fasciculus were more strongly associated with discriminability in working memory than in subsequent memory, while lesions in the frontal operculum in the right hemisphere were more strongly associated with criterion setting in subsequent memory. These findings support the view that some processes involved in working memory and episodic memory rely on separate mechanisms, while acknowledging that there might also be shared processes.

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