背景:最近的研究表明,前额叶和视觉区域在视觉工作记忆(VWM)中起关键作用,前额叶区域主要与执行功能相关,和视觉皮层链接到内存内容的表示。VWM涉及对无关信息的选择性过滤,然而,前额叶区域和视觉皮层在这一过程中的具体贡献仍不清楚。
目的:了解VWM中前额叶和视觉区域的动态因果作用。
方法:使用包含非目标刺激的交换速率的计算模型实现了VWM组件的区分。单脉冲磁经颅刺激(spTMS)在定向回忆任务的不同阶段传递到早期视觉皮层(EVC)和额叶下交界处(IFJ),无论有无干扰物。
结果:我们的结果表明,EVC和IFJ上的spTMS会影响VWM,尤其是在存在干扰物的情况下。VWM精度可能会受到早期保留期间应用于任一区域的spTMS的影响,而当在晚期保留阶段刺激EVC时,以及当指向同侧EVC时,spTMS效应尤其突出。相反,当将spTMS应用于EVC或IFJ时,准确回忆目标的概率表现出相当的模式.
结论:我们强调了VWM的“感官招募”,其特征是EVC的关键参与,特别是在VWM内的信息过滤过程中。存储器内容表示的维护需要在整个VWM过程中以动态模式进行EVC与IFJ之间的持续通信。
BACKGROUND: Recent studies indicate that both prefrontal and visual regions play critical roles in visual working memory (VWM), with prefrontal regions mainly associated with executive functions, and visual cortices linked to representations of memory contents. VWM involves the selective filtering of irrelevant information, yet the specific contributions of the prefrontal regions and visual cortex in this process remain unclear.
OBJECTIVE: To understand the dynamic causal roles of prefrontal and visual regions in VWM.
METHODS: The differentiation of VWM components was achieved using a computational model that incorporated a swap rate for non-target stimuli. Single-pulse magnetic transcranial stimulation (spTMS) was delivered to the early visual cortex (EVC) and the inferior frontal junction (IFJ) across different phases of an orientation recall task that with or without distractors.
RESULTS: Our results indicate that spTMS over the EVC and IFJ influences VWM particularly when distractors are present. VWM precision can be impacted by spTMS applied to either region during the early retention, while spTMS effect is especially prominent when EVC is stimulated during the late retention phase and when directed at the ipsilateral EVC. Conversely, the probability of accurately recalling the target exhibited comparable patterns when spTMS was administered to either the EVC or IFJ.
CONCLUSIONS: We highlight the \"sensory recruitment\" of VWM characterized by critical involvement of EVC particularly in the information-filtering process within VWM. The maintenance of memory content representations necessitates ongoing communication between the EVC and IFJ throughout the entirety of the VWM process in a dynamic pattern.