Abstract
Working memory (WM) involves the ability to maintain and manipulate information held in mind. Neuroimaging studies have shown that secondary motor areas activate during WM for verbal content (e.g., words or letters), in the absence of primary motor area activation. This activation pattern may reflect an inner speech mechanism supporting online phonological rehearsal. Here, we examined the causal relationship between motor system activity and WM processing by using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to manipulate motor system activity during WM rehearsal. We tested WM performance for verbalizable (words and pseudowords) and non-verbalizable (Chinese characters) visual information. We predicted that disruption of motor circuits would specifically affect WM processing of verbalizable information. We found that TMS targeting motor cortex slowed response times (RTs) on verbal WM trials with high (pseudoword) vs. low (real word) phonological load. However, non-verbal WM trials were also significantly slowed with motor TMS. WM performance was unaffected by sham stimulation or TMS over visual cortex (VC). Self-reported use of motor strategy predicted the degree of motor stimulation disruption on WM performance. These results provide evidence of the motor system's contributions to verbal and non-verbal WM processing. We speculate that the motor system supports WM by creating motor traces consistent with the type of information being rehearsed during maintenance.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 753 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-8 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue number | SEP |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 24 2014 |
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Keywords
- Motor cortex stimulation
- Motor system
- Non-verbal working memory
- Sternberg memorytask
- TMS
- Verbal working memory
- Visual cortex
- Working memory
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Neurology
- Biological Psychiatry
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
Cite this
Motor system contributions to verbal and non-verbal working memory. / Liao, Diana A.; Kronemer, Sharif I.; Yau, Jeffrey M.; Desmond, John; Marvel, Cherie.
In: Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Vol. 8, No. SEP, 753, 24.09.2014, p. 1-8.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Motor system contributions to verbal and non-verbal working memory
AU - Liao, Diana A.
AU - Kronemer, Sharif I.
AU - Yau, Jeffrey M.
AU - Desmond, John
AU - Marvel, Cherie
PY - 2014/9/24
Y1 - 2014/9/24
N2 - Working memory (WM) involves the ability to maintain and manipulate information held in mind. Neuroimaging studies have shown that secondary motor areas activate during WM for verbal content (e.g., words or letters), in the absence of primary motor area activation. This activation pattern may reflect an inner speech mechanism supporting online phonological rehearsal. Here, we examined the causal relationship between motor system activity and WM processing by using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to manipulate motor system activity during WM rehearsal. We tested WM performance for verbalizable (words and pseudowords) and non-verbalizable (Chinese characters) visual information. We predicted that disruption of motor circuits would specifically affect WM processing of verbalizable information. We found that TMS targeting motor cortex slowed response times (RTs) on verbal WM trials with high (pseudoword) vs. low (real word) phonological load. However, non-verbal WM trials were also significantly slowed with motor TMS. WM performance was unaffected by sham stimulation or TMS over visual cortex (VC). Self-reported use of motor strategy predicted the degree of motor stimulation disruption on WM performance. These results provide evidence of the motor system's contributions to verbal and non-verbal WM processing. We speculate that the motor system supports WM by creating motor traces consistent with the type of information being rehearsed during maintenance.
AB - Working memory (WM) involves the ability to maintain and manipulate information held in mind. Neuroimaging studies have shown that secondary motor areas activate during WM for verbal content (e.g., words or letters), in the absence of primary motor area activation. This activation pattern may reflect an inner speech mechanism supporting online phonological rehearsal. Here, we examined the causal relationship between motor system activity and WM processing by using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to manipulate motor system activity during WM rehearsal. We tested WM performance for verbalizable (words and pseudowords) and non-verbalizable (Chinese characters) visual information. We predicted that disruption of motor circuits would specifically affect WM processing of verbalizable information. We found that TMS targeting motor cortex slowed response times (RTs) on verbal WM trials with high (pseudoword) vs. low (real word) phonological load. However, non-verbal WM trials were also significantly slowed with motor TMS. WM performance was unaffected by sham stimulation or TMS over visual cortex (VC). Self-reported use of motor strategy predicted the degree of motor stimulation disruption on WM performance. These results provide evidence of the motor system's contributions to verbal and non-verbal WM processing. We speculate that the motor system supports WM by creating motor traces consistent with the type of information being rehearsed during maintenance.
KW - Motor cortex stimulation
KW - Motor system
KW - Non-verbal working memory
KW - Sternberg memorytask
KW - TMS
KW - Verbal working memory
KW - Visual cortex
KW - Working memory
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84933675702&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84933675702&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00753
DO - 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00753
M3 - Article
C2 - 25309402
AN - SCOPUS:84933675702
VL - 8
SP - 1
EP - 8
JO - Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
JF - Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
SN - 1662-5161
IS - SEP
M1 - 753
ER -