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Frontal activations associated with accessing and evaluating information in working memory: an fMRI study
John X Zhang1, Hoi-Chung Leung, Marcia K Johnson
1Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8205, USA. jxzhang@hku.hk
Neuroimage
|December 4, 2003
Summary
Frontal cortex areas, including the anterior cingulate and middle frontal gyrus, show increased activation during correct negative working memory responses compared to positive ones. This suggests distinct frontal roles in accessing and evaluating information.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Brain Imaging
Background:
- Working memory is crucial for cognitive tasks.
- The frontal cortex plays a significant role in executive functions.
- Differentiating frontal lobe involvement in memory access and evaluation is key.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate frontal cortex involvement in accessing and evaluating information within working memory.
- To compare brain activations associated with positive versus negative responses in a working memory task.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a modified Sternberg paradigm.
- Compared brain activity during correct positive and negative responses.
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activations.
Main Results:
- Several frontal regions, including anterior cingulate (BA32) and middle frontal gyrus (BA9, BA10, BA46), showed greater activation for correct negative responses.
- Left inferior frontal gyrus (BA44/45) also exhibited increased activity during correct negative responses.
- No significant increase in activation was observed for positive responses compared to negative responses.
Conclusions:
- The findings suggest that specific frontal areas are differentially involved in accessing and evaluating information during working memory tasks.
- Multiple frontal regions may contribute to distinct component processes underlying general frontal functions in working memory.