Multi‐target attention and visual short‐term memory capacity are closely linked in the intraparietal sulcus

Abstract

The existing literature suggests a critical role for both the right intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and the right temporo‐parietal junction (TPJ) in our ability to attend to multiple simultaneously‐presented lateralized targets (multi‐target attention), and the failure of this ability in extinction patients. Currently, however, the precise role of each of these areas in multi‐target attention is unclear. In this study, we combined the theory of visual attention (TVA) with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) guided continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) in neurologically healthy subjects to directly investigate the role of the right IPS and TPJ in multi‐target attention. Our results show that cTBS at an area of the right IPS associated with multi‐target attention elicits a reduction of visual short‐term memory capacity. This suggests that the right IPS is associated with a general capacity‐limited encoding mechanism that is engaged regardless of whether targets have to be attended or remembered. Curiously, however, cTBS to the right IPS failed to elicit extinction‐like behavior in our study, supporting previous suggestions that different areas of the right IPS may provide different contributions to multi‐target attention. CTBS to the right TPJ failed to induce a change in either TVA parameters or extinction‐like behavior.

Effects of a Bout of Intense Exercise on Some Executive Functions

“…One possibility is that the high blood lactate levels, induced by the exercise, may affect some areas of the cortex and not others. In this way, functions supported by the prefrontal cortex, as processing speed [26], cognitive flexibility [34], and resistance to interference [12] seem to be affected, while those supported by more posterior cortical areas, such as visual attention [22] and task switching [29], are not.…”

“…The effects of acute physical exercise on the cognitive performances of an adult individual are still under discussion [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. The existing literature tends to highlight a positive relationship if the exercise is of sub-maximal intensity, while the effects seem to be negative for exhaustive exercises [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26].…”

How do we measure attention? Using factor analysis to establish construct validity of neuropsychological tests

“…Visual working memory (VWM) may seem like an odd choice to measure attention, especially when we are trying to distinguish between attention and working memory functions. However, VWM is a distinct, modality-specific memory store (Fougnie & Marois, 2011 ), and is tightly linked to selective attention, in that both encoding (Emrich et al, 2017 ; Praß & de Haan, 2019 ) and maintenance in VWM require visual attention (Makovski et al, 2008 ; Roper & Vecera, 2014 ; Sandry & Ricker, 2020 ). Huang et al ( 2012 ) used a Visual Short-Term Memory task requiring participants to memorize an array of six colors and then recreate this array from memory after it offset (i.e., full report paradigm).…”

Intermittent theta burst stimulation over the parietal cortex has a significant neural effect on working memory

“…Although a large number of studies have used online rTMS to target the parietal cortex, few studies have used offline rTMS, which is believed to induce longer lasting effects than does online rTMS. Thus far, only two studies (Morgan, Jackson, Van Koningsbruggen, Shapiro, & Linden, 2013; Praß & de Haan, 2019) have examined the effect of parietal offline‐rTMS on WM. Both reported that offline‐rTMS using continuous theta‐burst stimulation (cTBS) (5 Hz bursts with each burst containing three pulses at 50 Hz) had harmful effects on WM (Morgan et al, 2013; Praß & de Haan, 2019).…”