Studies exploring the role of neural oscillations in cognition have revealed sustained increases alpha-band (~8-14 Hz) power during delay period delayed-recognition short-term memory tasks. These been proposed to reflect inhibition, for example, cortical areas representing task-irrelevant information, or potentially interfering representations from previous trials. Another possibility, however, is that elevated delay-period (DPABP) reflects selection and maintenance rather than, addition to,...

Working memory (WM) is a system for the online storage of information. An emerging view that neuronal oscillations coordinate cellular assemblies code content WM. In line with this view, previous work has demonstrated oscillatory activity in alpha band (8-12 Hz) plays role WM maintenance, but exact contributions have remained unclear. Here, we used an inverted spatial encoding model combination electroencephalography (EEG) to test whether topographic distribution alpha-band tracks...

Covert spatial attention is essential for humans' ability to direct limited processing resources the relevant aspects of visual scenes. A growing body evidence suggests that rhythmic neural activity in alpha frequency band (8-12 Hz) tracks locus covert attention, which integral attention. However, extant work has not provided a compelling test another key prediction: temporal dynamics orienting. In current study, we examined time course spatially specific after central cues and during...

Although long considered a natively endowed and fixed trait, working memory (WM) ability has recently been shown to improve with intensive training. What remains controversial poorly understood, however, are the neural bases of these training effects extent which WM gains transfer other cognitive tasks. Here we present evidence from human electrophysiology (EEG) simultaneous transcranial magnetic stimulation EEG that tasks is supported by changes in task-related effective connectivity...

Control over visual selection has long been framed in terms of a dichotomy between "source" and "site," where top-down feedback signals originating frontoparietal cortical areas modulate or bias sensory processing posterior areas. This distinction is motivated part by observations that encode task-level variables (e.g., what stimulus currently relevant motor outputs are appropriate), while continuous analog feature representations. Here, we present evidence challenges this distinction. We...

Neuroscience methods range astronomically in scale.In some experiments, we record subthreshold membrane potentials individual neurons, while others measure aggregate responses of thousands neurons at the millimeter scale.A central goal neuroscience is to bridge insights across all scales understand core computations underlying cognition (Churchland and Sejnowski, 1988).However, inferential problems arise when moving scales: single-unit response properties cannot be inferred from fMRI...

We report 4 experiments examining whether associations in visual working memory are subject to proactive interference from long-term (LTM). Following a learning phase which participants learned the colors of 120 unique objects, (WM) test was administered recalled precise 3 concrete objects an array. Each array WM consisted 1 old (previously learned) object with new color (old-mismatch), its (old-match), and object. Experiments showed that performance better old-match condition than...

Current theories assume a functional role for covert attention in the maintenance of spatial information working memory. Consistent with this view, both locus and positions stored memory can be decoded based on topography oscillatory alpha-band (8–12 Hz) activity scalp. Thus far, however, alpha modulation has been studied isolation tasks. Here, we applied an inverted encoding model combination EEG to study temporal dynamics spatially specific during task that required observers visually...

Highlights•Novel method to track voluntary transformations of mental representations•Alpha activity dynamically tracks updates in spatial working memory•The tracked updating rate predicts response times•Encoded and updated memories share a common representational formatSummaryWorking memory (WM) flexibly information adapt the dynamic environment. Here, we used alpha-band EEG reconstruct content WM compared this format static content. An inverted encoding model using alpha precisely both...

A hallmark of episodic memory is the phenomenon mentally reexperiencing details past events, and a well-established concept that neuronal activity mediates encoding reinstated at retrieval. Evidence for reinstatement has come from multiple modalities, including functional magnetic resonance imaging electroencephalography (EEG). These EEG studies have shed light on time course but been limited to distinguishing between few categories. The goal this work was use recently developed experimental...

Persistent neural activity that encodes online mental representations plays a central role in working memory (WM). However, there has been debate regarding the number of items can be concurrently represented this active state, which is often called "focus attention." Some models propose strict single-item limit, such just 1 item neurally at once while other are relegated to an activity-silent state. Although past studies have decoded multiple stored WM, these cannot rule out switching...

Abstract Current theories propose that the short-term retention of information in working memory (WM) and recall from long-term (LTM) are supported by overlapping neural mechanisms occipital parietal cortex. However, extent shared representations between WM LTM is unclear. We designed a spatial task allowed us to directly compare remembered with carefully matched behavioral response precision tasks. Using multivariate pattern analyses on functional magnetic resonance imaging data, we show...

Abstract A long‐standing question in the field of vision research is whether scalp‐recorded EEG activity contains sufficient information to identify stimulus chromaticity. Recent multivariate work suggests that it possible decode which chromaticity an observer viewing from multielectrode pattern activity. There debate, however, about claimed effects on visual evoked potentials (VEPs) are instead caused by unequal luminances, a chromatic differences. Here, we tested could be decoded when...

Covert spatial attention is thought to facilitate the maintenance of locations in working memory, and EEG α-band activity (8-12 Hz) proposed track focus covert attention. Recent work has shown that multivariate patterns polar angle remembered relative fixation. However, a defining feature it facilitates processing specific region visual field, prior not determined whether two-dimensional (2-D) coordinates stimuli within hemifield or are instead maximally sensitive around Here, we used...

Numerous studies have demonstrated that visual STM (VSTM) and attention are tightly linked processes share a number of neuroanatomical substrates. Here, we used repetitive TMS (rTMS) along with simultaneous EEG to examine the causal relationship between intraparietal sulcus functioning performance on tasks VSTM. Participants performed two in which they were required attend or remember colored items over brief interval, 10-Hz rTMS applied some trials. Although no overall behavioral changes...

The positional-specificity effect refers to enhanced performance in visual short-term memory (VSTM) when the recognition probe is presented at same location as had been sample, even though irrelevant match/nonmatch decision. We investigated mechanisms underlying this with behavioral and fMRI studies of object change-detection performance. To test whether a direct consequence active storage VSTM, we varied load, reasoning that it should be observed for all objects sub-span array items....

The continuous-report task, in which subjects report the color of visual working memory representation by clicking on a wheel, has become gold standard for measuring precision and number representations stored memory. This task requires fine motor control, typically with mouse, but responses have been interpreted as being entirely due to representations, without regard contribution noise from response effectors (i.e., control hand). Here we tested seemingly likely possibility that...

Abstract A hallmark of episodic memory is the phenomenon mentally re-experiencing details past events, and a well-established concept that neuronal activity mediates encoding reinstated at retrieval. Evidence for reinstatement has come from multiple modalities, including functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) electroencephalography (EEG). These EEG studies have shed light on time-course reinstatement, but been limited to distinguishing between few categories and/or measures strength....

Abstract A longstanding view holds that information is maintained in working memory (WM) via persistent neural activity encodes the content of WM. Recent work, however, has challenged all items stored WM are actively maintained. Instead, “activity-silent” models propose can be without need for activity, raising possibility only a subset – perhaps just single item may represented at given time. While past studies have successfully decoded multiple WM, these cannot rule out an active switching...

An extensive body of work has shown that attentional capture is contingent on the goals observer: Capture strongly reduced or even eliminated when an irrelevant singleton stimulus does not match target-defining properties (Folk et al., 1992). There been a long-standing debate whether can be explained by goal-driven and/or stimulus-driven accounts. Here, we shed further light this matter using EEG activity (raw and alpha power) to provide time-resolved index orienting towards salient stimuli...

Abstract Representations in working memory need to be flexibly transformed adapt our dynamic environment and variable task demands. Recent work has demonstrated that activity the alpha frequency band enables precise decoding of visual information during both perception sustained storage memory. Extant work, however, focused exclusively on representation static images. Here we used EEG recordings examine whether alpha-band supports transformation representations spatial using an imagery...

Abstract It is well known that salient yet irrelevant singleton can capture attention, even when this inconsistent with the current goals of observer (Theeuwes, 1992; 2010). Others however have claimed critically contingent on observer: Capture strongly modulated (or eliminated) does not match target-defining properties (Folk, Remington, & Johnston, 1992). There has been a long-standing debate whether attentional be explained by goal-driven and/or stimulus-driven accounts. Here, we shed...