Gamma and beta bursts during working memory readout suggest roles in its volitional control
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Abstract
Working memory (WM) activity is not as stationary or sustained as previously thought. There are brief bursts of gamma (~50–120 Hz) and beta (~20–35 Hz) oscillations, the former linked to stimulus information in spiking. We examined these dynamics in relation to readout and control mechanisms of WM. Monkeys held sequences of two objects in WM to match to subsequent sequences. Changes in beta and gamma bursting suggested their distinct roles. In anticipation of having to use an object for the match decision, there was an increase in gamma and spiking information about that object and reduced beta bursting. This readout signal was only seen before relevant test objects, and was related to premotor activity. When the objects were no longer needed, beta increased and gamma decreased together with object spiking information. Deviations from these dynamics predicted behavioral errors. Thus, beta could regulate gamma and the information in WM.
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The balance between alpha/beta and gamma reflects the encoding, maintenance, and read-out of working memory.
“The balance between alpha/beta and gamma reflect the encoding, maintenance, and read-out of working memory (56).”
From Layer and rhythm specificity for predictive routing (2020) · cites this paper as [56]
The Introduction and Discussion link the balance of beta and gamma bursting to working-memory encoding, maintenance, and readout. The paper discusses alpha as a possible analogous inhibitory rhythm, but does not establish an alpha/gamma balance across those stages. Page numbers are not available in the supplied passages. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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“For example, when information is read out of working memory or recalled from long-term memory, there is a decrease in alpha/beta power followed by an increase in gamma and spiking carrying the memories (Lundqvist et al., 2018; Gri ffi ths et al., 2019).”
Self-citation
- Authors
- Lundqvist, M., Herman, P., Warden, M. R., Brincat, S. L., & Miller, E. K.
- Affiliations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology (SE)
- Cornell University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Lundqvist, Mikael
- Miller, Earl K.
- Venue
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2018-01-26
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 394-394
- ISSN
- 2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC5785952
- OpenAlex
- W2952185808
- Cited by
- 299
- References
- 44
- Citations by year
- 2026: 38 · 2025: 41 · 2024: 36 · 2023: 40 · 2022: 38 · 2021: 40 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 3
- FWCI
- 15.34
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (1dp2mh109982-01)
- Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (N00014-16-1-2832)
- Office of Naval Research (MURI N00014‐16‐1‐2832, ONR MURI N00014-16-1-2832, N00014-16-1–2832, N00014)
- National Institute of Mental Health (DP2 MH109982, R37MH087027, N00014-16-1-2832)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Keywords
- working memory, gamma oscillations, beta oscillations, behavioral errors
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Beta Rhythm, Female, Macaca mulatta, Male, Memory, Short-Term, Pattern Recognition, Visual, Photic Stimulation, Prefrontal Cortex, Gamma Rhythm
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