Dynamic layer-specific processing in the prefrontal cortex during working memory
The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) is reliably engaged in working memory (WM) and comprises different cytoarchitectonic layers, yet their functional role in human WM is unclear. Here, participants completed a delayed-match-to-sample task while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at ultra-high resolution. We examine layer-specific activity to manipulations in WM load and motor response. Superficial layers exhibit a preferential response to WM load during the delay and retrieval periods of a WM task, indicating a lamina-specific activation of the frontoparietal network. Multivariate patterns encoding WM load in the superficial layer dynamically change across the three periods of the task. Last, superficial and deep layers are non-differentially involved in the motor response, challenging earlier findings of a preferential deep layer activation. Taken together, our results provide new insights into the functional laminar circuitry of the dlPFC during WM and support a dynamic account of dlPFC coding.
Authors
- Nikolaus Weiskopf (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5239-1881)
- Denis Chaimow (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4532-3084)
- Daniel Haenelt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2310-5086)
- Moataz Assem (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6246-5856)
- Romy Lorenz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7742-3162)
- John–Dylan Haynes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1786-6954)
- Jonas Karolis Degutis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8682-3920)
- John Duncan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9695-2764)
Institutions
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging (GB)
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit (GB)
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (DE)
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics (DE)
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (DE)
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin (DE)
- University College London (GB)
- Technische Universität Berlin (DE)
- Freie Universität Berlin (DE)
- Technische Universität Dresden (DE)
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin (DE)
- Leipzig University (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Communications Biology
- Published
- 2024-09-14
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-06780-8
- Citations
- 14
- Primary Topic
- Neural dynamics and brain function
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 4.80
Funders
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Wellcome Trust
- European Commission
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
- Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
- Klaus Tschira Stiftung
- Medical Research Council