Salmon et Al. (1996)

Cognitive Approach - Regional brain activity during working memory tasks

AIM

To investigate whether different types of working memory tasks activate different regions of the brain

METHOD

• Laboratory experiment using brain imaging (PET scans)

• Healthy adult participants (number relatively small)

PROCEDURE

1. Participants completed working memory tasks while undergoing PET scans

2. Verbal memory tasks (e.g. remembering words or letters) and Spatial working memory tasks (e.g. remembering locations or patterns) were included

3. PET scans measured regional cerebral blood flow, indicating levels of brain activity

RESULTS

• Verbal working memory tasks were associated with increased activity in the left prefrontal cortex

• Spatial working memory tasks showed increased activity in the right prefrontal cortex

• Different components of working memory activated distinct brain regions

CONCLUSION

• Working memory functions are localized in the brain

• Verbal and spatial working memory rely on different hemispheres of the prefrontal cortex

• The findings support biological explanations of cognition and models such as the working memory model