Reactivation of latent working memories with transcranial magnetic stimulation

The ability to hold information in working memory is fundamental for cognition. Contrary to the long-standing view that working memory depends on sustained, elevated activity, we present evidence suggesting that humans can hold information in working memory via "activity-silent" synaptic m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2016-12, Vol.354 (6316), p.1136-1139
Main Authors: Rose, Nathan S., LaRocque, Joshua J., Riggall, Adam C., Gosseries, Olivia, Starrett, Michael J., Meyering, Emma E., Postle, Bradley R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Activation
Adolescent
Adult
Attention - physiology
Brain
Brain - physiology
Cognition - physiology
Female
Humans
Male
Memorization
Memory
Memory, Short-Term - physiology
Neuronal Plasticity
Neurosciences
Neurosciences & behavior
Neurosciences & comportement
Pattern analysis
Recognition
Representations
Sciences sociales & comportementales, psychologie
Short pulses
Short Term Memory
Social & behavioral sciences, psychology
Stimuli
Synapses - physiology
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Young Adult
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Summary:The ability to hold information in working memory is fundamental for cognition. Contrary to the long-standing view that working memory depends on sustained, elevated activity, we present evidence suggesting that humans can hold information in working memory via "activity-silent" synaptic mechanisms. Using multivariate pattern analyses to decode brain activity patterns, we found that the active representation of an item in working memory drops to baseline when attention shifts away. A targeted pulse of transcranial magnetic stimulation produced a brief reemergence of the item in concurrently measured brain activity. This reactivation effect occurred and influenced memory performance only when the item was potentially relevant later in the trial, which suggests that the representation is dynamic and modifiable via cognitive control. The results support a synaptic theory of working memory.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.aah7011