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Mechanisms of Selective Attention in Working Memory, Modeled from Human Alpha Band Oscillations

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Date Issued:
2023
Abstract/Description:
Working memory (WM) enables the flexible representation of information over short intervals. It is established that WM performance can be enhanced by a retrospective cue presented during storage, yet the neural mechanisms responsible for this benefit are unclear. Here, we tested several explanations for retrospective cue benefits by quantifying changes in spatial WM representations reconstructed from alpha-band (8 - 12 Hz) EEG activity recorded from human participants before and after the presentation of a retrospective cue. This allowed us to track cue-related changes in WM representations with high temporal resolution. Our findings suggest that retrospective cues engage several different mechanisms such as recovery of information previously decreased to baseline after being cued as relevant and protecting the cued item from temporal decay to mitigate information loss during WM storage. Our EEG findings suggest that participants can supplement active memory traces with information from other memory stores. We next sought to better understand these additional store(s) by asking whether they are subject to the same temporal degradation seen in active memory representations during storage. We observed a significant increase in the quality of location representations following a retrocue, but the magnitude of this benefit was linearly and inversely related to the timing of the retrocue such that later cues yielded smaller increases.
Title: Mechanisms of Selective Attention in Working Memory, Modeled from Human Alpha Band Oscillations.
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Name(s): Nouri, Asal, author
Ester, Edward , Thesis advisor
Hahn, William, Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 2023
Date Issued: 2023
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 118 p.
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: Working memory (WM) enables the flexible representation of information over short intervals. It is established that WM performance can be enhanced by a retrospective cue presented during storage, yet the neural mechanisms responsible for this benefit are unclear. Here, we tested several explanations for retrospective cue benefits by quantifying changes in spatial WM representations reconstructed from alpha-band (8 - 12 Hz) EEG activity recorded from human participants before and after the presentation of a retrospective cue. This allowed us to track cue-related changes in WM representations with high temporal resolution. Our findings suggest that retrospective cues engage several different mechanisms such as recovery of information previously decreased to baseline after being cued as relevant and protecting the cued item from temporal decay to mitigate information loss during WM storage. Our EEG findings suggest that participants can supplement active memory traces with information from other memory stores. We next sought to better understand these additional store(s) by asking whether they are subject to the same temporal degradation seen in active memory representations during storage. We observed a significant increase in the quality of location representations following a retrocue, but the magnitude of this benefit was linearly and inversely related to the timing of the retrocue such that later cues yielded smaller increases.
Identifier: FA00014192 (IID)
Degree granted: Dissertation (PhD)--Florida Atlantic University, 2023.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
Subject(s): Working memory
Short-term memory
Attention
Alpha Rhythm
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014192
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.