A domain-general frontoparietal network interacts with domain-preferential intermediate pathways to support working memory task

Abstract

Working memory (WM) is essential for cognition, but the underlying neural mechanisms remain elusive. From a hierarchical processing perspective, this paper proposed and tested a hypothesis that a domain-general network at the top of the WM hierarchy can interact with distinct domain-preferential intermediate circuits to support WM. Employing a novel N-back task, we first identified the posterior superior temporal gyrus (pSTG), middle temporal area (MT), and postcentral gyrus (PoCG) as intermediate regions for biological motion and shape motion processing, respectively. Using further psychophysiological interaction analyses, we delineated a frontal–parietal network (FPN) as the domain-general network. These results were further verified and extended by a delayed match to sample (DMS) task. Although the WM load-dependent and stimulus-free activations during the DMS delay phase confirm the role of FPN as a domain-general network to maintain information, the stimulus-dependent activations within this network during the DMS encoding phase suggest its involvement in the final stage of the hierarchical processing chains. In contrast, the load-dependent activations of intermediate regions in the N-back task highlight their further roles beyond perception in WM tasks. These results provide empirical evidence for a hierarchical processing model of WM and may have significant implications for WM training.

Alterations of functional brain activity and connectivity in female nurses working on long‐term shift

“…In contrast, the left frontoparietal network mainly involves speech, semantic recognition, and cognition (Marek & Dosenbach, 2018 ; Vendetti & Bunge, 2014 ). Numerous neuroimaging studies have shown that abnormal right frontoparietal network activity might be closely related to impaired working memory and attention deficits (Becker et al., 2022 ; Chen et al., 2023 ; Letkiewicz et al., 2022 ; May & Kana, 2020 ; Tan et al., 2021 ; Yuk et al., 2020 ; Zhou et al., 2023 ). A previous neuroimaging meta‐analysis also dedicated that clinical patients with emotional regulation disorders exhibited reduced activity in the right frontoparietal network and compensatory activation of emotion‐related brain areas, such as the insula and temporal gyrus (Pico‐Perez et al., 2017 ).…”

“…shown that abnormal right frontoparietal network activity might be closely related to impaired working memory and attention deficits (Becker et al, 2022;Chen et al, 2023;Letkiewicz et al, 2022;May & Kana, 2020;Tan et al, 2021;Yuk et al, 2020;Zhou et al, 2023).…”

Electrophysiological hallmarks for event relations and event roles in working memory

“…Following our interpretation of the negative slow wave effect, it is possible that an indexical for event relations in the PPC (posterior parietal cortex) points to the event type represented in PLTC during working memory maintenance. However, evidence remains mixed on whether the event type representations in PLTC reflect the extraction of event types or the maintenance of event types in working memory, or both ( Lu et al, 2016 ; Zhou et al, 2022 ).…”

Cognitive flexibility as the shifting of brain network flows by flexible neural representations

“…Classically, sustained activity in lateral prefrontal cortex has been considered the primary neural mechanism underlying working memory [17]. Yet, just like other cognitive control abilities, this view is giving way to considering distributed CCNs as the basis for working memory [18]. As this shift was beginning, however, it was also revealed that working memory can be maintained in some situations without sustained activity, based on multi-unit lateral prefrontal cortical activity in non-human primates [19] and wholebrain electroencephalography (EEG) activity in humans [20,21].…”