title: Theta coupling in the human electroencephalogram during a working memory task.
abstract: The role of coupling between prefrontal and temporo-parietal brain areas within the theta frequency range of the human electroencephalogram was explored in a working memory task. During encoding of visual information higher theta amplitudes were observed in the right compared to the left hemisphere. Retrieval of visuospatial and verbal information elicited a more bilateral activation pattern. These effects were accompanied by theta coupling between dorsolateral prefrontal and right posterior temporal electrode sites during encoding. During retrieval prefrontal and bilateral temporo-parietal brain areas were coupled. These results support the idea of working memory functions being dependent on distributed prefrontal-temporal networks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Psychology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria. paul.sauseng@sbg.ac.at
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sauseng
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Klimesch
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Doppelmayr
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hanslmayr
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schabus
authors.forename: Walter R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Gruber
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000502:physiology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D013826:Theta Rhythm; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology