Alterations of neural activity in the prefrontal cortex associated with deficits in working memory performance

Abstract

Working memory (WM), a core cognitive function, enables the temporary holding and manipulation of information in mind to support ongoing behavior. Neurophysiological recordings conducted in nonhuman primates have revealed neural correlates of this process in a network of higher-order cortical regions, particularly the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Here, we review the circuit mechanisms and functional importance of WM-related activity in these areas. Recent neurophysiological data indicates that the absence of these neural correlates at different stages of WM is accompanied by distinct behavioral deficits, which are characteristic of various disease states/normal aging and which we review here. Finally, we discuss emerging evidence of electrical stimulation ameliorating these WM deficits in both humans and non-human primates. These results are important for a basic understanding of the neural mechanisms supporting WM, as well as for translational efforts to developing therapies capable of enhancing healthy WM ability or restoring WM from dysfunction.

Exploring the dynamic interplay between learning and working memory within various cognitive contexts

“…While traditional models localized WM to specific brain regions, new perspectives propose a distributed process, with the PFC as a central hub coordinating WM activities. Ongoing research explores how increased delay activity in the PFC contributes to maintaining or controlling information within WM, with reference into processes such as NMDA receptor activation and synaptic dynamics as potential mechanisms ( Wong and Wang, 2006 ; Li et al, 2023 ). Studies beyond the prefrontal cortex have explored the neural correlates of working memory.…”