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Related Concept Videos

Working Memory01:24

Working Memory

Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this information.
Visual System01:26

Visual System

Light enters the eye through the cornea, a transparent, dome-shaped surface covering the surface of the eyeball that helps to direct and focus incoming light. This light is then channeled toward the pupil, an adjustable opening whose size is controlled by the iris. The iris, a pigmented muscle, regulates the amount of light entering the eye by contracting or dilating the pupil, thereby ensuring optimal light levels for clear vision.
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...
Vision01:24

Vision

Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.
Sensory Memory01:14

Sensory Memory

Sensory memory captures information from the environment in its original form for a very brief duration, just long enough to be exposed to visual, auditory, and other senses. This type of memory is detailed and rich but quickly lost unless certain strategies are employed to transfer it into short-term or long-term memory. Sensory information is continuously bombarding the human brain, yet only a small fraction is absorbed, as most of it does not significantly impact daily life. For instance,...
Association Areas of the Cortex01:21

Association Areas of the Cortex

Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.

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Related Experiment Video

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Using Rapid Serial Visual Presentation to Measure Set-Specific Capture, a Consequence of Distraction While Multitasking
05:58

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Attentional templates in visual working memory.

Nancy B Carlisle1, Jason T Arita, Deborah Pardo

  • 1Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt Vision Research Center, Center for Integrative and Cognitive Neuroscience, Nashville, TN 37240-7817, USA.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience
|June 24, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study shows that contralateral-delay activity (CDA) measures attentional templates in visual working memory. It also reveals how attention shifts from working memory to long-term memory with learning.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Psychology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Attentional theories propose using templates in visual working memory for information selection.
  • The precise neural mechanisms underlying attentional template maintenance and updating remain under investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To directly test the role of attentional templates in visual working memory.
  • To investigate the neural dynamics of attentional control during visual search and learning.
  • To utilize contralateral-delay activity (CDA) as a measure of attentional template maintenance.

Main Methods:

  • Human event-related potentials (ERPs) were measured, specifically the contralateral-delay activity (CDA).
  • Participants performed visual search tasks with trial-by-trial target cuing.
  • Complex visual scenes were used to assess performance in realistic conditions.

Main Results:

  • The CDA successfully measured the maintenance of attentional templates in visual working memory during complex scene processing.
  • The study observed a shift from working memory to long-term memory representations as participants learned to search for a target.
  • This neural shift correlated with accrued experience and learning.

Conclusions:

  • Findings provide direct evidence supporting theories of attention, specifically the role of visual working memory templates.
  • The results demonstrate that CDA is a viable tool for studying attentional template dynamics.
  • The study illuminates the transition of attentional control mechanisms from short-term to long-term memory representations during skill acquisition.