The impact of prefrontal cortex for selective attention in a visual working memory task

Int J Neurosci. 2008 Dec;118(12):1673-88. doi: 10.1080/00207450601067356.

Abstract

In this study, a variant of the n-back task was used to investigate electrophysiological correlates of top-down processes in visual-object working memory. Event-related potentials were used to replicate results concerning an attention related modulation of neural processes and to investigate the involvement of prefrontal cortex in this modulation. 16 healthy subjects executed an n-back task with sequentially presented faces and scenes. Attention was selectively directed to only one stimulus category. We found an enhancement of the N170 amplitudes for relevant stimuli compared to irrelevant or neutral stimuli. Late frontal amplitudes were stronger positive for relevant compared to neutral stimuli indicating selective attention processes of working memory. Evidence for selective inhibition was not found.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Attention / physiology*
  • Brain Mapping
  • Cerebral Cortex / anatomy & histology
  • Cerebral Cortex / physiology
  • Electroencephalography
  • Evoked Potentials / physiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Memory, Short-Term / physiology*
  • Mental Processes / physiology
  • Nerve Net / anatomy & histology
  • Nerve Net / physiology
  • Neural Pathways / anatomy & histology
  • Neural Pathways / physiology
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Prefrontal Cortex / anatomy & histology
  • Prefrontal Cortex / physiology*
  • Reaction Time / physiology
  • Visual Perception / physiology*
  • Young Adult