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.
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:23

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at the...
Role of Hippocampus in Memory01:19

Role of Hippocampus in Memory

The hippocampus, a critical brain structure, plays an essential role in memory processing, particularly in the formation and retrieval of memory. This small, seahorse-shaped region is located within the medial temporal lobe, with one hippocampus in each brain hemisphere. Experimental studies involving lesions in the hippocampi of rats have demonstrated significant impairments in tasks such as object recognition and maze navigation, indicating the hippocampus involvement in both recognition and...
Depth Perception and Spatial Vision01:15

Depth Perception and Spatial Vision

Depth perception is the ability to perceive objects three-dimensionally. It relies on two types of cues: binocular and monocular. Binocular cues depend on the combination of images from both eyes and how the eyes work together. Since the eyes are in slightly different positions, each eye captures a slightly different image. This disparity between images, known as binocular disparity, helps the brain interpret depth. When the brain compares these images, it determines the distance to an object.
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory01:14

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory

The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the cerebellum's...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same journal

Satellite DNA sequence dictates pericentromere heterochromatin formation and function.

Science advances·2026
Same journal

Dual role of the receptor kinase FERONIA in regulating tissue mechanics and growth.

Science advances·2026
Same journal

Mechanisms of VEGFR2 activation by VEGF, neuropilin, and heparin.

Science advances·2026
Same journal

Inferring single-cell heterogeneity of bacteriophage lysis-associated life-history traits from population-scale dynamics.

Science advances·2026
Same journal

Rethinking future flood hazard: Hourly data challenge daily flood projections in Alpine catchments.

Science advances·2026
Same journal

Efficient chemical reprogramming of human T cells into functional megakaryocytes and platelets.

Science advances·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 10, 2026

The (Spatial) Memory Game: Testing the Relationship Between Spatial Language, Object Knowledge, and Spatial Cognition
05:15

The (Spatial) Memory Game: Testing the Relationship Between Spatial Language, Object Knowledge, and Spatial Cognition

Published on: February 19, 2018

Spatial reorganization of object representations in high-level visual cortex distinguishes working memory from

Wanru Li1,2,3, Jia Yang1,2,3, Pinglei Bao1,2,3

  • 1School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.

Science Advances
|May 8, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Visual working memory (VWM) flexibly reorganizes object representations in the brain. Unlike perception, VWM recruits widespread brain areas, including the opposite hemisphere, to enhance mnemonic flexibility.

More Related Videos

Novel Object Recognition Test for the Investigation of Learning and Memory in Mice
08:52

Novel Object Recognition Test for the Investigation of Learning and Memory in Mice

Published on: August 30, 2017

Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings
07:08

Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings

Published on: August 1, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 10, 2026

The (Spatial) Memory Game: Testing the Relationship Between Spatial Language, Object Knowledge, and Spatial Cognition
05:15

The (Spatial) Memory Game: Testing the Relationship Between Spatial Language, Object Knowledge, and Spatial Cognition

Published on: February 19, 2018

Novel Object Recognition Test for the Investigation of Learning and Memory in Mice
08:52

Novel Object Recognition Test for the Investigation of Learning and Memory in Mice

Published on: August 30, 2017

Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings
07:08

Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings

Published on: August 1, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Visual Perception

Background:

  • The visual system must balance accurate object perception with flexible visual working memory (VWM).
  • Both perception and VWM rely on high-level visual regions, specifically the object-selective cortex (OSC).
  • It remains unclear how competing demands of perception and VWM shape neural representations within the OSC.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether VWM representations inherit spatial constraints from perception or reorganize to meet mnemonic demands.
  • To compare the spatial localization of object-identity representations during perception versus VWM.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a matched task design comparing perception and VWM.
  • Employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)-based decoding to analyze neural representations.
  • Systematically compared the localization of object-identity information in the OSC.

Main Results:

  • A clear dissociation was observed between perception and VWM.
  • Object perception primarily involved contralateral OSC representations.
  • Visual working memory (VWM) demonstrated robust ipsilateral OSC representations, even for bilateral items, engaging over 90% of vertices.
  • These VWM representations mirrored contralateral ones, suggesting interhemispheric coordination.

Conclusions:

  • Object VWM exhibits significant spatial reorganization, recruiting distributed high-level visual cortex.
  • Mnemonic flexibility in VWM is distinguished from perceptual fidelity by this spatial reorganization.
  • Findings highlight the dynamic and flexible nature of neural representations supporting memory.