Using fMRI to investigate a component process of reflection: prefrontal correlates of refreshing a just-activated representation.
Using fMRI, we investigated the functional organization of prefrontal cortex (PFC) as participants briefly thought of a single just-experienced item (i.e., refreshed an active representation). The results of six studies, and a meta-analysis including previous studies, identified regions in left dorsolateral, anterior, and ventrolateral PFC associated in varying degrees with refreshing different types of information (visual and auditory words, drawings, patterns, people, places, or locations). In addition, activity increased in anterior cingulate with selection demands and in orbitofrontal cortex when a nonselected item was emotionally salient, consistent with a role for these areas in cognitive control (e.g., overcoming "mental rubbernecking"). We also found evidence that presenting emotional information disrupted an anterior component of the refresh circuit. We suggest that refreshing accounts for some neural activity observed in more complex tasks, such as working memory, long-term memory, and problem solving, and that its disruption (e.g., from aging or emotion) could have a broad impact.
Johnson
Marcia K
MK
Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8205, USA. marcia.johnson@yale.edu
Raye
Carol L
CL
Mitchell
Karen J
KJ
Greene
Erich J
EJ
Cunningham
William A
WA
Sanislow
Charles A
CA
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D000077463:Carbamide Peroxide; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology*; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D010545:Peroxides / Q000097:blood; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000502:physiology*; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000502:physiology; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014508:Urea / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology
D004338:Drug Combinations; D010545:Peroxides; D000077463:Carbamide Peroxide; D014508:Urea