Individual differences in amygdala activity predict response speed during working memory.
The human amygdala has classically been viewed as a brain structure primarily related to emotions and dissociated from higher cognition. We report here findings suggesting that the human amygdala also has a role in supporting working memory (WM), a canonical higher cognitive function. In a first functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study (n = 53), individual differences in amygdala activity predicted behavioral performance in a 3-back WM task. Specifically, higher event-related amygdala amplitude predicted faster response time (RT; r = -0.64), with no loss of accuracy. This relationship was not contingent on mood state, task content, or personality variables. In a second fMRI study (n = 21), we replicated the key finding (r = -0.47) and further showed that the correlation between the amygdala and faster RT was specific to a high working memory load condition (3-back) compared with a low working memory load condition (1-back). These results support models of amygdala function that can account for its involvement not only in emotion but also higher cognition.
Schaefer
Alexandre
A
Psychology Department, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.
Braver
Todd S
TS
Reynolds
Jeremy R
JR
Burgess
Gregory C
GC
Yarkoni
Tal
T
Gray
Jeremy R
JR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D012044:Regression Analysis