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Neural mechanisms of interference control underlie the relationship between fluid intelligence and working memory
Gregory C Burgess1, Jeremy R Gray2, Andrew R A Conway3
1Department of Psychology.
Journal of Experimental Psychology. General
|July 27, 2011
Summary
Neural mechanisms of interference control significantly explain shared variance in fluid intelligence (gF) and working memory (WM) span. This suggests interference control is key to understanding the relationship between gF and WM span.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
- Psychology
Background:
- Fluid intelligence (gF) and working memory (WM) span are critical for complex cognitive tasks.
- Shared variance between gF and WM span suggests underlying common neural mechanisms.
- Interference control is a proposed mechanism linking gF and WM span.
Purpose of the Study:
- To directly investigate how neural mechanisms of interference control explain shared variance in gF and WM span.
- To examine the role of selective activation during high-interference trials in the n-back task.
- To explore the neural correlates of interference control in prefrontal and parietal cortices.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activity in 102 participants during an n-back WM task.
- Performance and brain activity were analyzed focusing on high-interference lure trials.
- Brain activity in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (BA9) and parietal cortex (BA 40/7) was correlated with gF, WM span, and task performance.
Main Results:
- Interference-related performance and neural activity significantly accounted for shared variance in gF and WM span.
- Path analyses revealed that interference control activity influences gF through processes also affecting WM span.
- Specific brain regions, including bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and parietal cortex, showed correlations between interference control and cognitive abilities.
Conclusions:
- Individual differences in interference control mechanisms are crucial for understanding the relationship between fluid intelligence and working memory span.
- Neural mechanisms of interference control provide a significant explanation for the shared variance between gF and WM span.
- These findings highlight the importance of executive functions, particularly interference control, in higher-order cognition.
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