Abstract
BY repeating words 'in our head', verbal material (such as telephone numbers) can be kept in working memory1 almost indefinitely. This 'articulatory loop' includes a subvocal rehearsal system2–6 and a phonological store3,6–10. Little is known about neural correlates of this model of verbal short-term memory. We therefore measured regional cerebral blood flow, an index of neuronal activity, in volunteers performing a task engaging both components of the articulatory loop (short-term memory for letters) 5–10 and a task which engages only the subvocal rehearsal system (rhyming judgement for letters) 4,11. Stimuli were presented visually and the subjects did not speak. We report here that comparisons of distribution of cerebral blood flow in these conditions localized the phonological store to the left supramarginal gyrus whereas the subvocal rehearsal system was associated with Broca's area. This is, to our knowledge, the first demonstration of the normal anatomy of the components of the 'articulatory loop'.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Rent or buy this article
Prices vary by article type
from$1.95
to$39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baddeley, A. D. Science 255, 556–559 (1992).
Baddeley, A. D., Thomson, N. & Buchanan, M. J. Verb. Learn. Verb. Behav. 14, 575–589 (1975).
Baddeley, A. D., Lewis, V. & Vallar, G. Q. J. exp. Psychol. 36, 233–252 (1984).
Burani, C., Vallar, G. & Bottini, G. Eur. J. cogn. Psychol. 3, 379–398 (1991).
Vallar, G. & Cappa, S. F. Cogn. Neuropsychol. 4, 55–78 (1987).
Salamé, P. & Baddeley, A. D. J. Verb. Learn. Verb. Behav. 21, 150–164 (1982).
Warrington, E. K. & Shallice, T. Brain 92, 885–896 (1969).
Shallice, T. & Butterworth, B. Neuropsychologia 15, 729–735 (1977).
Vallar, G. & Baddeley, A. D. J. Verb. Learn. Verb. Behav. 23, 151–161 (1984).
Shallice, T. & Vallar, G. in Neuropsychological Impairments of Short-term Memory (eds Shallice, T. & Vallar, G.) 11–53 (Cambridge Univ. Press, New York. 1990).
Vallar, G. & Baddeley, A. D. Cogn. Neuropsychol. 1, 121–141 (1984).
Besner, D. Q. J. exp. Psychol. 39A, 467–478 (1987).
Friston, K. J. et al. J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metab. 10, 458–466 (1990).
Friston, K. J., Frith, C. D., Liddle, P. F. & Frackowiak, R. S. J. J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metab. 11, 690–699 (1991).
Wise, R. et al. Brain 114, 1803–1817 (1991).
Damasio, A. R. & Damasio, H. Neurology, 33, 1573–1583 (1983).
Zatorre, R. J., Evans, A. C., Meyer, E. & Gjedde, A. Science 256, 846–849 (1992).
Démonet, J. F. et al. Brain 115, 1753–1768 (1992).
Baddeley, A. & Wilson, B. J. Mem. Lang. 24, 490–502 (1985).
Talairach, J. & Tournoux, P. A Co-planar Stereotactic Atlas of the Human Brain (Thieme, Stuttgart, 1988).
Townsend, D. W. et al. IEEE Trans. med. Imaging 10, 505–512 (1991).
Spinks, T. J. et al. Phys. med. Biol. 37, 1637–1655 (1992).
Fox, P. T. & Mintun, M. A. J. nucl. Med. 30, 141–149 (1989).
Friston, K. J. et al. J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metab. 9, 690–695 (1989).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Paulesu, E., Frith, C. & Frackowiak, R. The neural correlates of the verbal component of working memory. Nature 362, 342–345 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1038/362342a0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/362342a0
This article is cited by
-
Dynamics of working memory process revealed by independent component analysis in an fMRI study
Scientific Reports (2023)
-
The right uncinate fasciculus supports verbal short-term memory in aphasia
Brain Structure and Function (2023)
-
Transcranial direct current stimulation combined with amantadine in repetitive mild traumatic brain injury in rats
BMC Neuroscience (2022)
-
Brain correlates of action word memory revealed by fMRI
Scientific Reports (2022)
-
Cingulo-opercular and frontoparietal control network connectivity and executive functioning in older adults
GeroScience (2022)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.