Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

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.
Cognitivism01:17

Cognitivism

Cognitive psychology emerged as a significant field in the mid-20th century. It focused on understanding humans' internal mental processes. This approach emphasizes how people perceive, remember, think, and solve problems—elements critical to human cognition.
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process information is...
Storage01:23

Storage

A schema is a mental framework that helps individuals organize and interpret information. Schemata, formed from previous experiences, influence how we process new information: how we encode it, the inferences we make, and how we retrieve it. For instance, a schema for what a typical classroom looks like might include desks, a teacher's desk, a whiteboard, and students in such an environment. This expectation helps us quickly understand and navigate new classrooms without needing to analyze each...
Long-Term Memory01:18

Long-Term Memory

Long-term memory is a relatively permanent type of memory, capable of storing vast amounts of information over extended periods. Its storage capacity is generally considered unlimited.
Long-term memory can be categorized into two primary types: explicit and implicit memory. Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, involves the conscious recollection of information that we deliberately try to remember, recall, and articulate. This type of memory encompasses specific facts, events, and...
Reason and Intuition01:37

Reason and Intuition

The human brain processes information for decision-making using one of two routes: an intuitive system and a rational system (Epstein, 1994; popularized by Kahneman, 2011 as System 1 and System 2, respectively). The intuitive system is quick, impulsive, and operates with minimal effort, relying on emotions or habits to provide cues for what to do next, while the rational system is logical, analytical, deliberate, and methodical. Research in neuropsychology suggests that the brain can only use...
Integration of Synaptic Events01:28

Integration of Synaptic Events

Synaptic integration mainly includes the summation of graded potentials. Graded potentials, regardless of their type, cause subtle alterations in membrane voltage, resulting in either depolarization or hyperpolarization. These incremental changes, when combined or summed, can propel the neuron toward its threshold. Consider, for example, a membrane experiencing a +15 mV shift, causing it to depolarize from -70 mV to -55 mV. In this scenario, graded potentials govern the membrane's ability to...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Activity memory in traumatic brain injury: The role of encoding and retrieval.

Applied neuropsychology. Adult·2025
Same author

Brain Synchronization and Multivariate Autoregressive (MVAR) Modeling in Cognitive Neurodynamics.

Frontiers in systems neuroscience·2022
Same author

Cognitive Networks (<i>Cognits)</i> Process and Maintain Working Memory.

Frontiers in neural circuits·2022
Same author

Organization of areal connectivity in the monkey frontoparietal network.

NeuroImage·2021
Same author

Memory in repeat sports-related concussive injury and single-impact traumatic brain injury.

Brain injury·2020
Same author

Measuring directed functional connectivity using non-parametric directionality analysis: Validation and comparison with non-parametric Granger Causality.

NeuroImage·2020

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 23, 2026

The Combination of Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation and Electroencephalogram
06:14

The Combination of Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation and Electroencephalogram

Published on: October 10, 2025

Cognit activation: a mechanism enabling temporal integration in working memory.

Joaquín M Fuster1, Steven L Bressler

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. joaquinf@ucla.edu

Trends in Cognitive Sciences
|March 24, 2012
PubMed
Summary

This study proposes a neural mechanism for working memory, involving interconnected cortical networks called cognits. This model explains how the brain retains information for future use, crucial for complex cognitive functions.

More Related Videos

Disruption of Frontal Lobe Neural Synchrony During Cognitive Control by Alcohol Intoxication
09:26

Disruption of Frontal Lobe Neural Synchrony During Cognitive Control by Alcohol Intoxication

Published on: February 6, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 23, 2026

The Combination of Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation and Electroencephalogram
06:14

The Combination of Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation and Electroencephalogram

Published on: October 10, 2025

Disruption of Frontal Lobe Neural Synchrony During Cognitive Control by Alcohol Intoxication
09:26

Disruption of Frontal Lobe Neural Synchrony During Cognitive Control by Alcohol Intoxication

Published on: February 6, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Science

Background:

  • Working memory is vital for integrating information over time, essential for goal-directed behavior, reasoning, and language.
  • The precise neural basis of working memory remains largely unknown.
  • Understanding working memory mechanisms is fundamental to comprehending higher cognitive functions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a novel neural mechanism for working memory.
  • To explain how the brain retains information for prospective use.
  • To bridge the gap between perception and action through memory retention.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical modeling based on recent neuroscientific research.
  • Hypothesizing the role of 'cognits' as distributed cortical networks.
  • Proposing excitatory reentry between perceptual and executive cognits.

Main Results:

  • Working memory relies on the activation of cognits, which are distributed, overlapping, and interactive cortical networks.
  • The mechanism involves excitatory reentry between posterior (perceptual) and frontal (executive) cognits.
  • This neural process enables the retention of information for prospective use.

Conclusions:

  • The proposed cognit model offers a foundational mechanism for working memory.
  • This mechanism is essential for bridging temporal gaps in the perception/action cycle.
  • Understanding this neural substrate is key to explaining behavior, reasoning, and language.