Visual field inhomogeneities and the architectonics of early visual cortex shape visual working memory

Whether the primary visual cortex (V1) is essential for visual working memory (vWM) remains a topic of scientific debate. The current study expanded upon previous findings by examining whether idiosyncratic architectural properties of V1, particularly those underlying visual field inhomogeneities such as polar angle asymmetries, predict interindividual differences in vWM performance. A total of 292 participants underwent quantitative MRI (qMRI) using a multiparametric mapping sequence to generate four microstructural maps per participant: magnetization transfer, proton density, longitudinal relaxation rate (R1), and transverse relaxation rate (R2*). In a separate session, the participants completed a vWM task designed to probe visual field inhomogeneities. Behavioral results are consistent with previously reported asymmetries in vWM, particularly the inverted polarity of the vertical meridian asymmetry (VMA). Quantitative MRI analysis revealed significant associations between VMA and multiple qMRI parameters within V1, indicating that V1 microarchitecture contributes to variability in vWM performance. Additionally, cortical thickness measures linked V3 to left-right asymmetry, suggesting that structural variability in the early visual cortex beyond V1 also shapes vWM performance. These findings are consistent with the sensory recruitment hypothesis and demonstrate that fine-grained architectural characteristics of early visual areas constrain vWM performance.