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Motor working memory
Samuel D McDougle1, Hanna Hillman2
1Dept of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
Trends in Cognitive Sciences
|September 14, 2025
Summary
Motor working memory (MWM) is vital for action, yet often overlooked. This study synthesizes evidence for MWM
Area of Science:
- Cognitive psychology
- Neuroscience
- Motor control
Background:
- Working memory (WM) is extensively studied for cognitive functions.
- A specific subsystem for motor content, motor working memory (MWM), is under-researched.
- MWM is crucial for everyday actions and skill acquisition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize evidence for the existence and function of MWM.
- To propose MWM's role in prospective and retrospective motor control.
- To highlight the importance of MWM research for understanding cognition-action links.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis of existing cognitive and neuroscience research.
- Analysis of evidence for prospective and retrospective maintenance of motor information.
- Theoretical proposal of MWM's computational functions.
Main Results:
- The brain prospectively and retrospectively maintains motor information in WM.
- MWM performs key computational roles in motor control and learning.
- Evidence supports MWM as a distinct cognitive subsystem.
Conclusions:
- MWM is essential for motor control and skill learning.
- Further research on MWM is needed to understand cognition-action integration.
- MWM research will advance cognitive neuroscience and psychology.
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