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Capacity limit of visual short-term memory in human posterior parietal cortex

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Listed:
  • J. Jay Todd

    (Vanderbilt University)

  • René Marois

    (Vanderbilt University)

Abstract

At any instant, our visual system allows us to perceive a rich and detailed visual world. Yet our internal, explicit representation of this visual world is extremely sparse: we can only hold in mind a minute fraction of the visual scene1,2. These mental representations are stored in visual short-term memory (VSTM). Even though VSTM is essential for the execution of a wide array of perceptual and cognitive functions3,4,5, and is supported by an extensive network of brain regions6,7,8,9, its storage capacity is severely limited10,11,12,13. With the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging, we show here that this capacity limit is neurally reflected in one node of this network: activity in the posterior parietal cortex is tightly correlated with the limited amount of scene information that can be stored in VSTM. These results suggest that the posterior parietal cortex is a key neural locus of our impoverished mental representation of the visual world.

Suggested Citation

  • J. Jay Todd & René Marois, 2004. "Capacity limit of visual short-term memory in human posterior parietal cortex," Nature, Nature, vol. 428(6984), pages 751-754, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:428:y:2004:i:6984:d:10.1038_nature02466
    DOI: 10.1038/nature02466
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    Cited by:

    1. Joost Pennings & Philip Garcia & Eligius Hendrix, 2005. "Towards a Theory of Revealed Economic Behavior: The Economic-Neurosciences Interface," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 7(2), pages 113-127, January.
    2. Shaiyan Keshvari & Ronald van den Berg & Wei Ji Ma, 2013. "No Evidence for an Item Limit in Change Detection," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(2), pages 1-9, February.
    3. Lars E. Egner & Stefan Sütterlin & Ricardo G. Lugo, 2016. "Prevalence of Two-Syllable Digits Affecting Forward Digit Span Test Score," SAGE Open, , vol. 6(4), pages 21582440166, November.
    4. Pahor, Anja & Jaušovec, Norbert, 2017. "Multifaceted pattern of neural efficiency in working memory capacity," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 23-34.
    5. Zaikin, Oleg & Kushtina, Emma & Rozewski, Przemyslaw, 2006. "Model and algorithm of the conceptual scheme formation for knowledge domain in distance learning," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 175(3), pages 1379-1399, December.
    6. Joseph Snider & Dongpyo Lee & Howard Poizner & Sergei Gepshtein, 2015. "Prospective Optimization with Limited Resources," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(9), pages 1-28, September.
    7. Halbauer, Ingo & Jacob, Saskia & Klarmann, Martin, 2022. "Brand presentation order in voice shopping: Understanding the effects of sequential product presentation," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 98(4), pages 759-778.
    8. Sobanawartiny Wijeakumar & Samuel H. Forbes & Vincent A. Magnotta & Sean Deoni & Kiara Jackson & Vinay P. Singh & Madhuri Tiwari & Aarti Kumar & John P. Spencer, 2023. "Stunting in infancy is associated with atypical activation of working memory and attention networks," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 7(12), pages 2199-2211, December.
    9. Mohammad Zia Ul Haq Katshu & Giovanni d'Avossa, 2014. "Fine-Grained, Local Maps and Coarse, Global Representations Support Human Spatial Working Memory," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(9), pages 1-13, September.

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