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A neural region of abstract working memory
Nelson Cowan1, Dawei Li, Amanda Moffitt
1University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. CowanN@missouri.edu
Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
|January 26, 2011
Summary
Researchers found a brain region, the left intraparietal sulcus, involved in working memory for both visual and auditory information. This area integrates sensory inputs, supporting consciousness by holding information from multiple modalities.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Psychology
Background:
- René Descartes proposed over 350 years ago that consciousness relies on a brain region integrating sensory inputs.
- William James described working memory as the 'trailing edge of consciousness', referring to the limited information held in mind.
- The left intraparietal sulcus is known for its role in visual working memory.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify brain regions responsible for integrating sensory information for working memory.
- To investigate whether the left intraparietal sulcus processes information from multiple sensory modalities.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activity.
- Two experiments were conducted with different participants and methods.
- Participants performed working memory tasks involving visual stimuli (colored squares) and combined visual-auditory stimuli (spoken letters).
Main Results:
- A specific region in the left intraparietal sulcus showed load-dependent activity.
- This activity occurred for both visual-only stimuli and combined visual-auditory stimuli.
- The findings were consistent across both experiments, confirming the results.
Conclusions:
- The left intraparietal sulcus integrates sensory information from multiple modalities for working memory.
- This brain region plays a crucial role in the neural basis of consciousness by combining sensory inputs.
- The findings expand our understanding of the functional role of the intraparietal sulcus beyond visual processing.
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