Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Working Memory

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...

Interference and Decay

Interference and Decay

Forgetting is a complex cognitive phenomenon influenced by several factors, among which interference and decay are particularly prominent. These processes explain why individuals often struggle to retrieve specific information from memory, leading to lapses in recall that can be observed in everyday situations.
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...

Long-term Potentiation

Long-term Potentiation

Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTP is the process of synaptic strengthening that occurs over time between pre- and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic strengthening of LTP works in opposition to the synaptic weakening of long-term depression (LTD) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.

Long-term Potentiation

Long-term Potentiation

Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTP is the process of synaptic strengthening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic strengthening of LTP works in opposition to the synaptic weakening of long-term depression (LTD) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Hebbian LTP
LTP can occur when...

Storage

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...

Long-Term Memory

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Focusing scattered light through live tissue with channel-selected wavefront shaping.

Biomedical optics express·2026

Same author

Molecular-Orientation Engineering Photonic Spin Textures Rotation in Organic Crystal Microcavities.

The journal of physical chemistry letters·2026

Same author

Reductive degradation of bromate in drinking water by far-UVC photolysis of sulfite.

Journal of hazardous materials·2026

Same author

The cost of efficiency in flexible neural representations.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

The PFAS roadmap-Navigating a path together to improved management.

Sustainability science and technology·2026

Same author

Critical review of the influence of charge-assisted hydrogen bonding on fate, transport, and treatment of representative contaminants of emerging concern and natural organic matter.

Journal of hazardous materials·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 10, 2026

Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance

Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance

Published on: July 19, 2017

Asynchronous firing and off-states in working memory maintenance.

Rana Mozumder¹, Zhengyang Wang², Wenhao Dang¹

¹Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235.

Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology

|November 24, 2025

Summary

Working memory relies on distributed neural activity, not just persistent spiking. Fluctuations in information representation suggest an asynchronous network state in the brain.

Keywords:

decoding inter-spike interval monkey neurophysiology prefrontal cortex

More Related Videos

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions

Published on: July 16, 2015

Developing Neuroimaging Phenotypes of the Default Mode Network in PTSD: Integrating the Resting State, Working Memory, and Structural Connectivity

Developing Neuroimaging Phenotypes of the Default Mode Network in PTSD: Integrating the Resting State, Working Memory, and Structural Connectivity

Published on: July 1, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 10, 2026

Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance

Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance

Published on: July 19, 2017

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions

Published on: July 16, 2015

Developing Neuroimaging Phenotypes of the Default Mode Network in PTSD: Integrating the Resting State, Working Memory, and Structural Connectivity

Developing Neuroimaging Phenotypes of the Default Mode Network in PTSD: Integrating the Resting State, Working Memory, and Structural Connectivity

Published on: July 1, 2014

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Neuroscience
Systems Neuroscience

Background:

Working memory is crucial for cognitive tasks.
Two main theories exist: persistent spiking activity and activity-silent mechanisms.
Their relative contributions remain debated.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying working memory.
To determine the balance between persistent activity and activity-silent states.
To explore inter-regional communication during working memory maintenance.

Main Methods:

Recorded neural activity from macaque lateral prefrontal and posterior parietal cortices.
Utilized high-density microelectrode probes for detailed recordings.
Analyzed persistent spiking, silent periods, and temporal fluctuations in mnemonic information.

Main Results:

Averaged persistent delay activity was observed in prefrontal neurons.
Silent periods did not significantly deviate from chance.
Temporal fluctuations in mnemonic information showed weak correlation between regions, suggesting synchronized off-states.
Simultaneous decoding accuracy was reduced compared to pseudo-populations.

Conclusions:

Working memory is maintained by a distributed pattern of persistent discharges.
An asynchronous network state, subject to widespread fluctuations, characterizes working memory.
Findings support a model where information fidelity varies across cortical neurons.