Selective Effects of Postural Control on Spatial vs. Nonspatial Working Memory: A Functional Near-Infrared Spectral Imaging Study

Abstract

Background: Previous evidence suggests that postural control processing may be more related to spatial working memory (SWM) than to nonspatial working memory (NWM). Methodological discrepancies between spatial and nonspatial cognitive tasks have made direct comparisons between the two systems difficult.Methods: To explore the neural mechanisms of SWM and NWM relative to that of postural control, participants were subjected a cognitive-posture dual-task paradigm, consisting of a 3-back letter working memory (WM) task, using physically identical stimuli with spatial and nonspatial components memorized in different sessions, and a standing balance task with a tandem stance. Additionally, there were two control sessions: a single-postural control session wherein participants pressed mouse buttons at random while standing; and a single-cognitive task control session wherein subjects completed a WM task while seated. The subjects underwent functional near-infrared spectral imaging (fNIRS) during task performance, wherein oxygenated hemoglobin concentration ([HbO]) was measured in frontal and parietal regions.Results: Postural control reduced discernment in the SWM task significantly, but did not affect NWM task performance. fNIRS showed that postural control had a significant tendency to decrease the [HbO] in the frontal-parietal network of the left hemisphere when participants completed the SWM task. No posture-associated differences in [HbO] were observed in NWM-related areas during NWM task performance. Behavioral and fNIRS data demonstrated that postural control had a selective interaction with SWM. Specifically, postural control reduced SWM discrimination and SWM-related brain activity (frontal-parietal network), but not NWM discrimination or NWM-related brain activity. Furthermore, the multiple linear regression analysis showed that SWM, but not NWM, was an important predictor of postural control. These results suggest that postural control may share more cognitive resources with SWM than with NWM.

Electroencephalographic evidence for improved visual working memory performance during standing and exercise

“…Prior research has indicated a partial overlap between (visuo)spatial (but not non‐spatial) working memory and sensorimotor networks involved in balance, particularly in the DLPFC and inferior parietal lobules (Anguera et al ., ; Chen et al ., ; Kerr et al ., ). As such, the processing of spatial information necessary for maintaining standing balance may interfere with the performance of VWM tasks also requiring spatial information processing (Fuhrmann et al ., ).…”

“…Kerr, Condon, and McDonald () found reduced visuospatial working memory accuracy during sustained upright balance compared to sitting, but no effect for a non‐spatial task, suggesting that visuospatial working memory and sensorimotor systems may overlap (Kerr et al ., ). This proposal has been supported more recently by research elucidating the same dissociation, while additionally revealing selectively reduced fronto‐parietal network (FPN) oxygenation during the spatial task via functional near‐infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) (Chen, Yu, Niu, & Liu, ). Overlapping activation in brain areas governing visuospatial working memory and sensorimotor processes has also been described via functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), particularly within the DLPFC and inferior parietal lobules (Anguera, Reuter‐Lorenz, Willingham, & Seidler, ).…”

Validity and Reliability of the Satel 40 Hz Stabilometric Force Platform for Measuring Quiet Stance and Dynamic Standing Balance in Healthy Subjects

“…This creates a latent nystagmus, which sometimes can only be seen with a magnifying glass and is known as dissociated deviation [ 44 , 45 , 46 ]. Some authors argue that there is a relationship between the mental calculation process and improved postural stability, as maintaining an active mental process enhances the attention system, thereby reducing oscillations in the measurements [ 34 , 40 , 41 , 47 , 48 , 49 ] and enhances the subjects’ isolation from their environment.…”

Cognition and Brain Activation in Response to Various Doses of Caffeine: A Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study

“…The correspondence between NIRS channel locations and specific brain regions was established by Okamoto et al (2004 , 2009) and Tsuzuki et al (2007) . Probes were set according to a 10/20 electroencephalogram system, with some adjustments to ensure that each emitter was 3 cm away from its corresponding detector ( Chen et al, 2018 ).…”