Attention biases visual activity in visual short-term memory.
In the current study, we tested whether representations in visual STM (VSTM) can be biased via top-down attentional modulation of visual activity in retinotopically specific locations. We manipulated attention using retrospective cues presented during the retention interval of a VSTM task. Retrospective cues triggered activity in a large-scale network implicated in attentional control and led to retinotopically specific modulation of activity in early visual areas V1-V4. Importantly, shifts of attention during VSTM maintenance were associated with changes in functional connectivity between pFC and retinotopic regions within V4. Our findings provide new insights into top-down control mechanisms that modulate VSTM representations for flexible and goal-directed maintenance of the most relevant memoranda.
University of Oxford.
Bo-Cheng
BC
Kuo
Mark G
MG
Stokes
Alexandra M
AM
Murray
Anna Christina
AC
Nobre
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D015982:Bias; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
D010100:Oxygen