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

1.2K
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...
1.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Real-time lexical comprehension in young children learning American Sign Language.

Developmental science·2018
Same author

The Processing of Biologically Plausible and Implausible forms in American Sign Language: Evidence for Perceptual Tuning.

Language, cognition and neuroscience·2016
Same author

An fMRI study of perception and action in deaf signers.

Neuropsychologia·2016
Same author

An Investigation of Place and Voice Features Using fMRI-Adaptation.

Journal of neurolinguistics·2013
Same author

Handshape monitoring: Evaluation of linguistic and perceptual factors in the processing of American Sign Language.

Language and cognitive processes·2012
Same author

Lexical access in American Sign Language: an ERP investigation of effects of semantics and phonology.

Brain research·2012

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 22, 2026

An Appetitive Spatial Working Memory Task for Mice in a Semi-Automated 8-Arm Radial Maze, Reducing Fearful Memory Association in the Maze
14:24

An Appetitive Spatial Working Memory Task for Mice in a Semi-Automated 8-Arm Radial Maze, Reducing Fearful Memory Association in the Maze

Published on: July 29, 2025

1.8K

Human temporal cortical single neuron activity during working memory maintenance.

Leona Zamora1, David Corina1, George Ojemann2

  • 1Departments of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States.

Neuropsychologia
|April 10, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Human temporal cortex neurons show activity during verbal working memory maintenance that parallels performance, suggesting active rehearsal. This neural activity is distinct from language processing, challenging some aspects of the Baddeley model.

Keywords:
HumanSingle neuronsTemporal cortexWorking memory

More Related Videos

Simultaneous Eye Tracking and Single-Neuron Recordings in Human Epilepsy Patients
07:43

Simultaneous Eye Tracking and Single-Neuron Recordings in Human Epilepsy Patients

Published on: June 17, 2019

8.4K
Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention
09:48

Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention

Published on: September 11, 2017

10.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 22, 2026

An Appetitive Spatial Working Memory Task for Mice in a Semi-Automated 8-Arm Radial Maze, Reducing Fearful Memory Association in the Maze
14:24

An Appetitive Spatial Working Memory Task for Mice in a Semi-Automated 8-Arm Radial Maze, Reducing Fearful Memory Association in the Maze

Published on: July 29, 2025

1.8K
Simultaneous Eye Tracking and Single-Neuron Recordings in Human Epilepsy Patients
07:43

Simultaneous Eye Tracking and Single-Neuron Recordings in Human Epilepsy Patients

Published on: June 17, 2019

8.4K
Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention
09:48

Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention

Published on: September 11, 2017

10.4K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Psychology

Background:

  • The Working Memory model is influential but lacks full elucidation of its neuronal correlates.
  • Understanding the neural basis of memory maintenance is crucial for cognitive neuroscience.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the neuronal activity in the human temporal cortex during verbal working memory maintenance.
  • To explore how distractors and storage duration affect neuronal activity related to working memory.

Main Methods:

  • Extracellular single neuron recordings from 166 lateral temporal cortex neurons in 36 epilepsy patients during specific working memory tasks.
  • Two studies manipulated distractor presence/absence and storage duration to assess effects on neuronal activity.

Main Results:

  • Significant changes in neuronal activity were observed in 45% of neurons with distractor manipulation.
  • Increased activity during memory maintenance without distractors correlated with reduced memory errors.
  • This activity extended from encoding and differed from language-specific tasks, suggesting working memory-specific processes.

Conclusions:

  • Human lateral temporal cortex plays a role in working memory maintenance, with activity potentially representing active rehearsal.
  • Neuronal activity during verbal working memory maintenance appears distinct from speech or language processing.
  • Findings provide insights into the neural underpinnings of the Working Memory model.