{"title":"Impact of working memory capacity on predominance of parietal over frontal P300 amplitude","authors":"Lina Guerrero , Badiâa Bouazzaoui , Michel Isingrini , Lucie Angel","doi":"10.1016/j.bandc.2023.106056","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Working memory-related neural activity varies with task load, and these neural variations can be constrained by working memory capacity (WMC). For instance, some studies suggest that parietal and frontal P300 amplitudes, reflecting working memory functioning, vary differentially with task load and WMC. The present study explored whether the predominance of parietal over frontal P300 amplitude is related to WMC, and whether this relationship varies according to task load. Thirty-one adults aged 20–40 years performed a Sternberg task with two set sizes (2 vs. 6 items), during which event-related potentials were recorded. This allowed us to explore the P300 and estimate the magnitude of its parietal over frontal predominance, calculated as a parietal over frontal predominance index (PFPI). Participants also performed the Digit Span and alpha span tests, which were used to compute an independent index of WMC. Results revealed the classic parietal over frontal P300 predominance. They also indicated that the PFPI decreased as task load increased, owing mainly to an increase in frontal P300 amplitude. Interestingly, WMC was positively correlated with the PFPI, suggesting that individuals with greater WMC exhibited greater parietal over frontal predominance. These correlations did not vary across set sizes. Parietal over frontal predominance was reduced in individuals with lower WMC, who relied more on frontal neural resources. This frontal upregulation may have reflected the recruitment of supplementary attentional executive operations to compensate for less efficient working memory maintenance operations.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":55331,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Cognition","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2000,"publicationDate":"2023-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"2","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Brain and Cognition","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278262623001136","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"NEUROSCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 2
Abstract
Working memory-related neural activity varies with task load, and these neural variations can be constrained by working memory capacity (WMC). For instance, some studies suggest that parietal and frontal P300 amplitudes, reflecting working memory functioning, vary differentially with task load and WMC. The present study explored whether the predominance of parietal over frontal P300 amplitude is related to WMC, and whether this relationship varies according to task load. Thirty-one adults aged 20–40 years performed a Sternberg task with two set sizes (2 vs. 6 items), during which event-related potentials were recorded. This allowed us to explore the P300 and estimate the magnitude of its parietal over frontal predominance, calculated as a parietal over frontal predominance index (PFPI). Participants also performed the Digit Span and alpha span tests, which were used to compute an independent index of WMC. Results revealed the classic parietal over frontal P300 predominance. They also indicated that the PFPI decreased as task load increased, owing mainly to an increase in frontal P300 amplitude. Interestingly, WMC was positively correlated with the PFPI, suggesting that individuals with greater WMC exhibited greater parietal over frontal predominance. These correlations did not vary across set sizes. Parietal over frontal predominance was reduced in individuals with lower WMC, who relied more on frontal neural resources. This frontal upregulation may have reflected the recruitment of supplementary attentional executive operations to compensate for less efficient working memory maintenance operations.
期刊介绍:
Brain and Cognition is a forum for the integration of the neurosciences and cognitive sciences. B&C publishes peer-reviewed research articles, theoretical papers, case histories that address important theoretical issues, and historical articles into the interaction between cognitive function and brain processes. The focus is on rigorous studies of an empirical or theoretical nature and which make an original contribution to our knowledge about the involvement of the nervous system in cognition. Coverage includes, but is not limited to memory, learning, emotion, perception, movement, music or praxis in relationship to brain structure or function. Published articles will typically address issues relating some aspect of cognitive function to its neurological substrates with clear theoretical import, formulating new hypotheses or refuting previously established hypotheses. Clinical papers are welcome if they raise issues of theoretical importance or concern and shed light on the interaction between brain function and cognitive function. We welcome review articles that clearly contribute a new perspective or integration, beyond summarizing the literature in the field; authors of review articles should make explicit where the contribution lies. We also welcome proposals for special issues on aspects of the relation between cognition and the structure and function of the nervous system. Such proposals can be made directly to the Editor-in-Chief from individuals interested in being guest editors for such collections.