Modality-specific processing streams in verbal working memory: evidence from spatio-temporal patterns of brain activity.
The present study was concerned with whether there are separate, modality-specific processing "streams" in verbal working memory for information that is heard or read. We used event-related brain potentials (ERPs) recorded from scalp of normal humans to show between-modality differences in spatio-temporal patterns of brain activity during retention in working memory of aurally or visually presented verbal information. The ERP patterns suggested that a sustained, automatically maintained auditory store was activated by auditory presentation and a transient, visual-verbal store was activated by visual presentation. In addition to these modality-specific differences, the ERPs indicated that the phonological loop was activated in both modalities and further suggested that the onset of phonological loop activation was earlier for auditory presentation.
Ruchkin
D S
DS
Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore 21201-1559, USA. druchkin@umabnet.ab.umd.edu
Berndt
R S
RS
Johnson
R
R
Ritter
W
W
Grafman
J
J
Canoune
H L
HL
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology*