title: The commonality of neural networks for verbal and visual short-term memory.
abstract: Although many neuroimaging studies have considered verbal and visual short-term memory (STM) as relying on neurally segregated short-term buffer systems, the present study explored the existence of shared neural correlates supporting verbal and visual STM. We hypothesized that networks involved in attentional and executive processes, as well as networks involved in serial order processing, underlie STM for both verbal and visual list information, with neural specificity restricted to sensory areas involved in processing the specific items to be retained. Participants were presented sequences of nonwords or unfamiliar faces, and were instructed to maintain and recognize order or item information. For encoding and retrieval phases, null conjunction analysis revealed an identical fronto-parieto-cerebellar network comprising the left intraparietal sulcus, bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and the bilateral cerebellum, irrespective of information type and modality. A network centered around the right intraparietal sulcus supported STM for order information, in both verbal and visual modalities. Modality-specific effects were observed in left superior temporal and mid-fusiform areas associated with phonological and orthographic processing during the verbal STM tasks, and in right hippocampal and fusiform face processing areas during the visual STM tasks, wherein these modality effects were most pronounced when storing item information. The present results suggest that STM emerges from the deployment of modality-independent attentional and serial ordering processes toward sensory networks underlying the processing and storage of modality-specific item information.
authors.affiliation: Center for Cognitive and Behavioural Neuroscience, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium. smajerus@ulg.ac.be
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Majerus
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Argembeau
authors.forename: Trecy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Martinez Perez
authors.forename: Sanaâ
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Belayachi
authors.forename: Martial
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van der Linden
authors.forename: Fabienne
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Collette
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salmon
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seurinck
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fias
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maquet
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D001245:Association Learning / Q000502:physiology; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen