The functional neuroanatomy of human working memory revisited. Evidence from 3-T fMRI studies using classical domain-specific interference tasks.
In the present event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging study, the neural implementation of human working memory was reinvestigated using a factorial design with verbal and visuospatial item-recognition tasks each performed under single-task conditions, under articulatory suppression, and under visuospatial suppression. This approach allowed to differentiate between brain systems subserving domain-specific working memory processes and possible neural correlates of more "central" executive or storage functions. The results of this study indicate (1) a domain-specific functional-neuroanatomical organization of verbal and visuospatial working memory, (2) a dual architecture of verbal working memory in contrast to a unitary macroscopic architecture of visuospatial working memory, (3) possible neural correlates for a domain-unspecific "episodic buffer" in contrast to a failure to find brain areas attributable to a "central executive," and (4) competition for neuronal processing resources as the causal principle for the occurrence of domain-specific interference in working memory.
Gruber
Oliver
O
Max Planck Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Leipzig, Germany. oliver.gruber@uniklinik-saarland.de
von Cramon
D Yves
DY
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology