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From an Executive Network to Executive Control: A Computational Model of the n-back Task
Open accessAbstract
A paradigmatic test of executive control, the n-back task, is known to recruit a widely distributed parietal, frontal, and striatal "executive network," and is thought to require an equally wide array of executive functions. The mapping of functions onto substrates in such a complex task presents a significant challenge to any theoretical framework for executive control. To address this challenge, we developed a biologically constrained model of the n-back task that emergently develops the ability to appropriately gate, bind, and maintain information in working memory in the course of learning to perform the task. Furthermore, the model is sensitive to proactive interference in ways that match findings from neuroimaging and shows a U-shaped performance curve after manipulation of prefrontal dopaminergic mechanisms similar to that observed in studies of genetic polymorphisms and pharmacological manipulations. Our model represents a formal computational link between anatomical, functional neuroimaging, genetic, behavioral, and theoretical levels of analysis in the study of executive control. In addition, the model specifies one way in which the pFC, BG, parietal, and sensory cortices may learn to cooperate and give rise to executive control.
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“Chatham et al. (2011) developed a neurally inspired model of n-back. In line with the idea that n-back requires the development of a novel routine, it has to be trained explicitly to perform the task with a specific value of n.”
From Working memory training involves learning new skills (2019) · cites this paper as Chatham et al., 2011
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Metadata
- Authors
- Chatham, C. H., Herd, S. A., Brant, A. M., Hazy, T. E., Miyake, A., O'Reilly, R., & Friedman, N. P.
- Affiliations
- University of Colorado Boulder (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
- Publisher
- MIT Press
- Published
- 2011-11-01
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 3598-3619
- ISSN
- 0898-929X (ISSN-L)
- 1530-8898
- PMC
- PMC3269304
- OpenAlex
- W2120528765
- Cited by
- 115
- References
- 80
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 3.73
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Explore Bristol Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- ORCA Online Research @Cardiff (Cardiff University) (submittedVersion)
- Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (P50MH079485, R01MH063207, MH063207, MH079485, R56MH063207)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
- Keywords
- n-back task, executive function, executive network, computational model, working memory, proactive interference, prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia, dopaminergic mechanisms, parietal cortex, striatum, information maintenance, task learning
- MeSH terms
- Brain, Computer Simulation, Humans, Models, Neurological, Neural Pathways, Neuropsychological Tests, Executive Function
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