Working memory performance is tied to stimulus complexity

Pusch, Roland; Packheiser, Julian; Azizi, Amir Hossein; Sevincik, Celil Semih; Rose, Jonas; Cheng, Sen; Stüttgen, Maik C.; Güntürkün, Onur

doi:10.1038/s42003-023-05486-7

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 68 publications

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“…For example, individual differences in WM capacity are largely determined not by the raw number of items one can store but rather one’s ability to filter out distracting items ((Astle et al, 2014; Feldmann-Wüstefeld & Vogel, 2019; McNab & Klingberg, 2008; Vogel, McCollough, & Machizawa, 2005)). More generally, one can leverage various (potentially unconscious) memory strategies to improve “effective capacity”, leading to experimentally observed capacity measurements that fluctuate depending on stimulus complexity, sensory modality, and experience with the stimuli ((Pusch et al, 2023)). Thus a key but often overlooked aspect of WM lies in the efficient management of access to and from working memory.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptive chunking improves effective working memory capacity in a prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia circuit

Soni,

Frank

2024

Preprint

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How and why is working memory (WM) capacity limited? Traditional cognitive accounts focus either on limitations on the number or items that can be stored (slots models), or loss of precision with increasing load (resource models). Here we show that a neural network model of prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia can learn to reuse the same prefrontal populations to store multiple items, leading to resource-like constraints within a slot-like system, and inducing a tradeoff between quantity and precision of information. Such "chunking" strategies are adapted as a function of reinforcement learning and WM task demands, mimicking human performance and normative models. Moreover, adaptive performance requires a dynamic range of dopaminergic signals to adjust striatal gating policies, providing a new interpretation of WM difficulties in patient populations such as Parkinson's disease, ADHD and schizophrenia. These simulations also suggest a computational rather than anatomical limit to WM capacity.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptive chunking improves effective working memory capacity in a prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia circuit

Soni,

Frank

2024

Preprint

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Balanced anesthesia in pigeons (Columba livia): a protocol that ensures stable vital parameters and feasibility during long surgeries in cognitive neuroscience

Serir,

Tuff,

Rook

et al. 2024

Front. Physiol.

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In neuroscience, numerous experimental procedures in animal models require surgical interventions, such as the implantation of recording electrodes or cannulas before main experiments. These surgeries can take several hours and should rely on principles that are common in the field of research and medicine. Considering the characteristics of the avian respiratory physiology, the development of a safe and replicable protocol for birds is necessary to minimize side effects of anesthetic agents, circumvent technical limitations due to the insufficient availability of patient monitoring, and to maintain stable intraoperative anesthesia. Through the consistent and responsible implementation of the three R principle of animal welfare in science (“Replace, Reduce, Refine”), we aimed to optimize experimental methods to minimize the burden on pigeons (Columba livia) during surgical procedures. Here, surgeries were conducted under balanced anesthesia and perioperative monitoring of heart rate, oxygen saturation, body temperature, and the reflex state. The protocol we developed is based on the combination of injectable and inhalative anesthetic drugs [ketamine, xylazine, and isoflurane, supported by the application of an opiate for analgesia (e.g., butorphanol, buprenorphine)]. The combination of ketamine and xylazine with a pain killer is established in veterinary medicine across a vast variety of species. Practicability was verified by survival of the animals, fast and smooth recovery quantified by clinical examination, sufficiency, and stability of anesthesia. Independent of painful stimuli like incision or drilling, or duration of surgery, vital parameters were within known physiological ranges for pigeons. Our approach provides a safe and conservative protocol for surgeries of extended duration for scientific applications as well as for veterinary medicine in pigeons which can be adapted to other bird species.

show abstract

Adaptive chunking improves effective working memory capacity in a prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia circuit

Soni,

Frank

2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

How and why is working memory (WM) capacity limited? Traditional cognitive accounts focus either on limitations on the number or items that can be stored (slots models), or loss of precision with increasing load (resource models). Here we show that a neural network model of prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia can learn to reuse the same prefrontal populations to store multiple items, leading to resourcelike constraints within a slot-like system, and inducing a tradeoff between quantity and precision of information. Such “chunking” strategies are adapted as a function of reinforcement learning and WM task demands, mimicking human performance and normative models. Moreover, adaptive performance requires a dynamic range of dopaminergic signals to adjust striatal gating policies, providing a new interpretation of WM difficulties in patient populations such as Parkinson’s disease, ADHD and schizophrenia. These simulations also suggest a computational rather than anatomical limit to WM capacity.

show abstract

Working memory performance is tied to stimulus complexity

Cited by 4 publications

References 68 publications

Adaptive chunking improves effective working memory capacity in a prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia circuit

Adaptive chunking improves effective working memory capacity in a prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia circuit

Balanced anesthesia in pigeons (Columba livia): a protocol that ensures stable vital parameters and feasibility during long surgeries in cognitive neuroscience

Adaptive chunking improves effective working memory capacity in a prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia circuit

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