Post-training Load-Related Changes of Auditory Working Memory - An EEG Study
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Post-training Load-Related Changes of Auditory Working Memory - An EEG Study. / Gudi-Mindermann, Helene; Rimmele, Johanna M; Bruns, Patrick; Kloosterman, Niels A; Donner, Tobias H; Engel, Andreas K; Röder, Brigitte.
In: FRONT HUM NEUROSCI, Vol. 14, 2020, p. 72.Research output: SCORING: Contribution to journal › SCORING: Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Post-training Load-Related Changes of Auditory Working Memory - An EEG Study
AU - Gudi-Mindermann, Helene
AU - Rimmele, Johanna M
AU - Bruns, Patrick
AU - Kloosterman, Niels A
AU - Donner, Tobias H
AU - Engel, Andreas K
AU - Röder, Brigitte
N1 - Copyright © 2020 Gudi-Mindermann, Rimmele, Bruns, Kloosterman, Donner, Engel and Röder.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Working memory (WM) refers to the temporary retention and manipulation of information, and its capacity is highly susceptible to training. Yet, the neural mechanisms that allow for increased performance under demanding conditions are not fully understood. We expected that post-training efficiency in WM performance modulates neural processing during high load tasks. We tested this hypothesis, using electroencephalography (EEG) (N = 39), by comparing source space spectral power of healthy adults performing low and high load auditory WM tasks. Prior to the assessment, participants either underwent a modality-specific auditory WM training, or a modality-irrelevant tactile WM training, or were not trained (active control). After a modality-specific training participants showed higher behavioral performance, compared to the control. EEG data analysis revealed general effects of WM load, across all training groups, in the theta-, alpha-, and beta-frequency bands. With increased load theta-band power increased over frontal, and decreased over parietal areas. Centro-parietal alpha-band power and central beta-band power decreased with load. Interestingly, in the high load condition a tendency toward reduced beta-band power in the right medial temporal lobe was observed in the modality-specific WM training group compared to the modality-irrelevant and active control groups. Our finding that WM processing during the high load condition changed after modality-specific WM training, showing reduced beta-band activity in voice-selective regions, possibly indicates a more efficient maintenance of task-relevant stimuli. The general load effects suggest that WM performance at high load demands involves complementary mechanisms, combining a strengthening of task-relevant and a suppression of task-irrelevant processing.
AB - Working memory (WM) refers to the temporary retention and manipulation of information, and its capacity is highly susceptible to training. Yet, the neural mechanisms that allow for increased performance under demanding conditions are not fully understood. We expected that post-training efficiency in WM performance modulates neural processing during high load tasks. We tested this hypothesis, using electroencephalography (EEG) (N = 39), by comparing source space spectral power of healthy adults performing low and high load auditory WM tasks. Prior to the assessment, participants either underwent a modality-specific auditory WM training, or a modality-irrelevant tactile WM training, or were not trained (active control). After a modality-specific training participants showed higher behavioral performance, compared to the control. EEG data analysis revealed general effects of WM load, across all training groups, in the theta-, alpha-, and beta-frequency bands. With increased load theta-band power increased over frontal, and decreased over parietal areas. Centro-parietal alpha-band power and central beta-band power decreased with load. Interestingly, in the high load condition a tendency toward reduced beta-band power in the right medial temporal lobe was observed in the modality-specific WM training group compared to the modality-irrelevant and active control groups. Our finding that WM processing during the high load condition changed after modality-specific WM training, showing reduced beta-band activity in voice-selective regions, possibly indicates a more efficient maintenance of task-relevant stimuli. The general load effects suggest that WM performance at high load demands involves complementary mechanisms, combining a strengthening of task-relevant and a suppression of task-irrelevant processing.
U2 - 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00072
DO - 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00072
M3 - SCORING: Journal article
C2 - 32256326
VL - 14
SP - 72
JO - FRONT HUM NEUROSCI
JF - FRONT HUM NEUROSCI
SN - 1662-5161
ER -