Ventral prefrontal cortex is not essential for working memory

It is widely held that the prefrontal cortex is important for working memory. It has been suggested that the inferior convexity (IC) may play a special role in working memory for form and color (Wilson et al., 1993). We have therefore assessed the ability of monkeys with IC lesions to perform visual...

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Bibliografische gegevens
Hoofdauteurs: Rushworth, M, Nixon, P, Eacott, M, Passingham, R
Formaat: Journal article
Taal:English
Gepubliceerd in: Society for Neuroscience 1997
Onderwerpen:
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author Rushworth, M
Nixon, P
Eacott, M
Passingham, R
author_facet Rushworth, M
Nixon, P
Eacott, M
Passingham, R
author_sort Rushworth, M
collection OXFORD
description It is widely held that the prefrontal cortex is important for working memory. It has been suggested that the inferior convexity (IC) may play a special role in working memory for form and color (Wilson et al., 1993). We have therefore assessed the ability of monkeys with IC lesions to perform visual pattern association tasks and color-matching tasks, both with and without delay. In experiment 1, six monkeys were trained on a visual association task with delays of up to 2 sec. Conservative IC lesions that removed lateral area 47/12 in three animals had no effect on the task. Further experiments showed that these lesions had no effect on the postoperative new learning of a color-matching task with delays of up to 2 sec or versions of the visual association task involving delays of up to 8 sec. In experiment 2, larger lesions of both areas 47/12 and 45A were made in the three control animals. This lesion caused a profound deficit in the ability to relearn simultaneous color matching, but subsequent matching with delays of up to 8 sec was clearly unimpaired. We suggest that the IC may be more important for stimulus selection and attention as opposed to working memory.
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spelling oxford-uuid:ec3f5a4c-48dd-49d9-a8d5-7fb709dff6232022-03-27T11:16:03ZVentral prefrontal cortex is not essential for working memoryJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:ec3f5a4c-48dd-49d9-a8d5-7fb709dff623Cognitive NeuroscienceExperimental psychologyEnglishOxford University Research Archive - ValetSociety for Neuroscience1997Rushworth, MNixon, PEacott, MPassingham, RIt is widely held that the prefrontal cortex is important for working memory. It has been suggested that the inferior convexity (IC) may play a special role in working memory for form and color (Wilson et al., 1993). We have therefore assessed the ability of monkeys with IC lesions to perform visual pattern association tasks and color-matching tasks, both with and without delay. In experiment 1, six monkeys were trained on a visual association task with delays of up to 2 sec. Conservative IC lesions that removed lateral area 47/12 in three animals had no effect on the task. Further experiments showed that these lesions had no effect on the postoperative new learning of a color-matching task with delays of up to 2 sec or versions of the visual association task involving delays of up to 8 sec. In experiment 2, larger lesions of both areas 47/12 and 45A were made in the three control animals. This lesion caused a profound deficit in the ability to relearn simultaneous color matching, but subsequent matching with delays of up to 8 sec was clearly unimpaired. We suggest that the IC may be more important for stimulus selection and attention as opposed to working memory.
spellingShingle Cognitive Neuroscience
Experimental psychology
Rushworth, M
Nixon, P
Eacott, M
Passingham, R
Ventral prefrontal cortex is not essential for working memory
title Ventral prefrontal cortex is not essential for working memory
title_full Ventral prefrontal cortex is not essential for working memory
title_fullStr Ventral prefrontal cortex is not essential for working memory
title_full_unstemmed Ventral prefrontal cortex is not essential for working memory
title_short Ventral prefrontal cortex is not essential for working memory
title_sort ventral prefrontal cortex is not essential for working memory
topic Cognitive Neuroscience
Experimental psychology
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