Biology subjects

Roesner, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Roesner, M..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2022

Preparing for the unknown: How working memory provides a link between perception and anticipated action

What mechanisms underlie the transfer of a working memory representation into a higher-level code for guiding future actions? Electrophysiological correlates of attentional selection and motor preparation processes within working memory were investigated in two retrospective cuing tasks. In the first experiment, participants stored the orientation and location of a grating. Subsequent feature cues (selective vs. neutral) indicated which feature would be the target for later report. The oscillatory response in the mu and beta frequency range with an estimated source in the sensorimotor cortex contralateral to the responding hand was used as correlate of motor preparation. Mu/beta suppression was stronger following the selective feature cues compared to the neutral cue, demonstrating that purely feature-based selection is sufficient to form a prospective motor plan. In the second experiment, another retrospective cue was included to study whether knowledge of the task at hand is necessary to initiate motor preparation. Following the feature cue, participants were cued to either compare the stored feature(s) to a probe stimulus (recognition task) or to adjust the memory probe to match the target feature (continuous report task). An analogous suppression of mu oscillations was observed following a selective feature cue, even ahead of task specification. Further, a subsequent selective task cue again elicited a mu/beta suppression, which was stronger after a continuous report task cue. This indicates that working memory is able to flexibly store different types of information in higher-level mental codes to provide optimal prerequisites for all required action possibilities. Highlights* Selectively cueing features results in an overall performance benefit * Feature-based attention is sufficient to form a prospective motor plan * Prospective motor preparation can be initiated ahead of task specification * Retro-active task specification leads to forming of higher-level action codes * Different tasks requirements result in different prospective action plans

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2021

Aging impairs primary task resumption and attentional control processes following interruptions

Attentional selection of working memory content is impaired after an interruption. This effect was shown to increase with age. Here we investigate how electrophysiological mechanisms underlying attentional selection within working memory differ during primary task resumption between younger and older adults. Participants performed a working memory task, while being frequently interrupted with either a cognitively low- or high-demanding arithmetic task. Afterwards, a retrospective cue (retro-cue) indicated the working memory content required for later report. The detrimental effect of the interruption was evident in both age groups, but while younger adults were more strongly affected by a high-than by a low-demanding interruption, the performance deficit appeared independently of the cognitive requirements of the interruption task in older adults. A similar pattern was found regarding frontal-posterior connectivity in the theta frequency range, suggesting that aging decreases the ability to selectively maintain relevant information within working memory. The power of mid-frontal theta oscillations (4-7 Hz) featured a comparable effect of interruptions in both age groups. How-ever, posterior alpha power (8-14 Hz) following the retro-cue was more diminished by a preceding interruption in older adults. These results suggest an age-related deficit in the atten-tional selection and maintenance of primary task information following an interruption that appeared independent from the cognitive requirements of the interrupting task.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Frontal theta and posterior alpha oscillations reflect the reactivation of working memory representations following interruptions

Interruptions (secondary tasks) have been frequently investigated in behavioral studies leading to a deterioration of working memory performance. Yet, the underlying attentional control processes are not sufficiently understood. A lateralized working memory task was frequently interrupted by either a high- or low-demanding arithmetic task and a subsequent retroactive cue indicated the working memory item required for later report. We examined the role of frontal theta (4-7 Hz) and posterior alpha power (8-14 Hz) as correlates for retroactive attentional switches between working memory representations. In particular, highly demanding interruptions decreased primary task performance compared to a control condition without interruption. This was also reflected in decreased frontal theta power and higher posterior alpha power after retro-cue presentation, suggesting decreased attentional control resources. Moreover, reduced alpha lateralization indicated an impaired refocusing on primary task information following the interruption. These results highlight oscillatory mechanisms required for successfully handling the detrimental effects of interruptions.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2019

The role of working memory for bridging the gap between perception and goal-directed actions - Evidence by mu and beta oscillations in sensorimotor cortex

What mechanisms are at work when transferring a visual representation in working memory into a higher-level code for guiding future actions? We investigated the underlying attentional and motor selection processes in working memory by means of oscillatory EEG parameters. Participants stored two, three or four objects in working memory and subsequent retroactive cues indicated one or two items as task-relevant. The oscillatory response in mu (10-14 Hz) and beta (15-25 Hz) frequencies with an estimated source in sensorimotor cortex contralateral to response side was used as a correlate of motor planning. There was a stronger suppression of oscillatory power when only one item was cued. Importantly, this effect appeared although the required response could not be anticipated at this point in time. This suggests that working memory can store multiple item-specific motor plans and the selection of a stored visual item leads to an automatic updating of associated response alternatives.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2019

Excitatory and inhibitory attentional mechanisms involved in the control of distractor interference in working memory: A neural oscillations perspective

There is an ongoing debate on the contribution of target enhancement and distractor inhibition processes to selective attention. In a working memory task, we presented to-be-memorized information in a way that posterior hemispheric asymmetries in oscillatory power could be unambiguously linked to lateral target vs. distractor processing. Alpha power asymmetries (8-14 Hz) were insensitive to the number of cued or non-cued items, supporting their relation to spatial attention. Furthermore, we found an increase in alpha power contralateral to non-cued working memory content and an alpha power suppression contralateral to relevant information. These oscillatory patterns relative to the positions of cued and non-cued items were related to the participants ability to control for the impact of irrelevant information on working memory retrieval. Based on these results, we propose that spatially specific modulations of posterior alpha power are related to accessing vs. inhibiting the spatial context of information stored in working memory.

neuroscience↗