Is Sensory Visual Cortex Required for Visual Working Memory: Insights from Meta-Analysis and Experimental Evidence

The role of the sensory visual cortex in visual working memory (VWM) remains highly controversial. We report evidence from meta-analyses and experimental work suggesting that the sensory visual cortex has critical involvement in both encoding and maintenance phases of VWM. By systematically reviewing TMS studies, we found strong evidence supporting the sensory visual cortex as a key part of the neural network for encoding and for maintaining visual information. Previous studies may have underestimated its role due to binocular stimulus presentation and complex stimuli use. Addressing these methodological issues, we conducted two TMS experiments using a simple, monocularly presented VWM orientation change-detection task. Results showed that sensory visual cortex stimulation impaired VWM performance during perceptual, early, and late maintenance stages, reinforcing the sensory recruitment hypothesis. Our findings underscore the sensory visual cortex's central role in VWM, emphasizing the shared neural substrates of perception and memory.