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Executive control processes underlying multi-item working memory

A dominant view of prefrontal cortex (PFC) function is that it stores task-relevant information in working memory. To examine this and determine how it applies when multiple pieces of information must be stored, we trained two macaque monkeys to perform a multi-item color change-detection task and r...

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Autores principales: Lara, Antonio H., Wallis, Jonathan D.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: 2014
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4039364/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24747574
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nn.3702
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author Lara, Antonio H.
Wallis, Jonathan D.
author_facet Lara, Antonio H.
Wallis, Jonathan D.
author_sort Lara, Antonio H.
collection PubMed
description A dominant view of prefrontal cortex (PFC) function is that it stores task-relevant information in working memory. To examine this and determine how it applies when multiple pieces of information must be stored, we trained two macaque monkeys to perform a multi-item color change-detection task and recorded activity of neurons in PFC. Few neurons encoded the color of the items. Instead, the predominant encoding was spatial: a static signal reflecting the item's position and a dynamic signal reflecting the animal's covert attention. These findings challenge the notion that PFC stores task-relevant information. Instead, we suggest that the contribution of PFC is in controlling the allocation of resources to support working memory. In support of this, we found that increased power in the alpha and theta bands of PFC local field potentials, which are thought to reflect long-range communication with other brain areas, was correlated with more precise color representations.
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spelling pubmed-40393642014-12-01 Executive control processes underlying multi-item working memory Lara, Antonio H. Wallis, Jonathan D. Nat Neurosci Article A dominant view of prefrontal cortex (PFC) function is that it stores task-relevant information in working memory. To examine this and determine how it applies when multiple pieces of information must be stored, we trained two macaque monkeys to perform a multi-item color change-detection task and recorded activity of neurons in PFC. Few neurons encoded the color of the items. Instead, the predominant encoding was spatial: a static signal reflecting the item's position and a dynamic signal reflecting the animal's covert attention. These findings challenge the notion that PFC stores task-relevant information. Instead, we suggest that the contribution of PFC is in controlling the allocation of resources to support working memory. In support of this, we found that increased power in the alpha and theta bands of PFC local field potentials, which are thought to reflect long-range communication with other brain areas, was correlated with more precise color representations. 2014-04-20 2014-06 /pmc/articles/PMC4039364/ /pubmed/24747574 http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nn.3702 Text en http://www.nature.com/authors/editorial_policies/license.html#terms Users may view, print, copy, and download text and data-mine the content in such documents, for the purposes of academic research, subject always to the full Conditions of use:http://www.nature.com/authors/editorial_policies/license.html#terms
spellingShingle Article
Lara, Antonio H.
Wallis, Jonathan D.
Executive control processes underlying multi-item working memory
title Executive control processes underlying multi-item working memory
title_full Executive control processes underlying multi-item working memory
title_fullStr Executive control processes underlying multi-item working memory
title_full_unstemmed Executive control processes underlying multi-item working memory
title_short Executive control processes underlying multi-item working memory
title_sort executive control processes underlying multi-item working memory
topic Article
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4039364/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24747574
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nn.3702
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