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Gray Matter Volume in Different Cortical Structures Dissociably Relates to Individual Differences in Capacity and
Maro G Machizawa1,2,3, Jon Driver2,4, Takeo Watanabe3
1Center for Brain, Mind, and KANSEI Sciences Research, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, 734-8551 Japan.
Cerebral Cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)
|May 13, 2020
Summary
Individual differences in visual working memory (VWM) quantity and quality are linked to distinct brain structures. Higher capacity correlates with left occipital gray matter, while better precision relates to right parietal gray matter.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Visual working memory (VWM) is crucial for cognitive tasks, but its limitations and underlying neural basis are debated.
- It is unclear if VWM capacity (quantity) or fidelity (quality) is the primary constraint.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between individual differences in VWM quantity and quality and brain anatomy.
- To identify specific neural markers associated with VWM retention.
Main Methods:
- Examined behavior-to-brain anatomical relations using gray matter (GM) volume.
- Analyzed brain activity and its association with brain anatomy during VWM retention.
Main Results:
- Greater VWM capacity (number of items) was associated with larger left lateral occipital GM volume.
- Higher VWM precision (retention accuracy) was linked to larger right parietal lobe GM volume.
Conclusions:
- Individual differences in VWM quantity and quality are associated with distinct regional gray matter volumes.
- These findings suggest that willful information integration in VWM may involve separable cortical subsystems.
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