N-back working memory paradigm: A meta-analysis of normative functional neuroimaging studies

@article{citeulike:2190058, abstract = {One of the most popular experimental paradigms for functional neuroimaging studies of working memory has been the n-back task, in which subjects are asked to monitor the identity or location of a series of verbal or nonverbal stimuli and to indicate when the currently presented stimulus is the same as the one presented n trials previously. We conducted a quantitative meta-analysis of 668 sets of activation coordinates in Talairach space reported in 24 primary studies of n-back task variants manipulating process (location vs. identity monitoring) and content (verbal or nonverbal) of working memory. We found the following cortical regions were activated robustly (voxelwise false discovery rate = 1\%): lateral premotor cortex; dorsal cingulate and medial premotor cortex; dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex; frontal poles; and medial and lateral posterior parietal cortex. Subsidiary meta-analyses based on appropriate subsets of the primary data demonstrated broadly similar activation patterns for identity monitoring of verbal stimuli and both location and identity monitoring of nonverbal stimuli. There was also some evidence for distinct frontoparietal activation patterns in response to different task variants. The functional specializations of each of the major cortical components in the generic large-scale frontoparietal system are discussed. We conclude that quantitative meta-analysis can be a powerful tool for combining results of multiple primary studies reported in Talairach space. Here, it provides evidence both for broadly consistent activation of frontal and parietal cortical regions by various versions of the n-back working memory paradigm, and for process- and content-specific frontoparietal activation by working memory. Hum Brain Mapp 25:46-59, 2005. {\copyright} 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.}, address = {MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin; Research Imaging Center, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas; Brain Mapping Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom}, author = {Owen, Adrian M. and Mcmillan, Kathryn M. and Laird, Angela R. and Bullmore, Ed }, citeulike-article-id = {2190058}, doi = {10.1002/hbm.20131}, journal = {Human Brain Mapping}, keywords = {fmri, human, metaanalysis, nback, workingmemory}, number = {1}, pages = {46--59}, posted-at = {2008-01-02 22:55:59}, priority = {2}, title = {N-back working memory paradigm: A meta-analysis of normative functional neuroimaging studies}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hbm.20131}, volume = {25}, year = {2005} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:2190058 L3 - citeulike-article-id:2190058 TI - N-back working memory paradigm: A meta-analysis of normative functional neuroimaging studies JF - Human Brain Mapping VL - 25 IS - 1 SP - 46 EP - 59 AD - MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin; Research Imaging Center, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas; Brain Mapping Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom N2 - One of the most popular experimental paradigms for functional neuroimaging studies of working memory has been the n-back task, in which subjects are asked to monitor the identity or location of a series of verbal or nonverbal stimuli and to indicate when the currently presented stimulus is the same as the one presented n trials previously. We conducted a quantitative meta-analysis of 668 sets of activation coordinates in Talairach space reported in 24 primary studies of n-back task variants manipulating process (location vs. identity monitoring) and content (verbal or nonverbal) of working memory. We found the following cortical regions were activated robustly (voxelwise false discovery rate = 1%): lateral premotor cortex; dorsal cingulate and medial premotor cortex; dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex; frontal poles; and medial and lateral posterior parietal cortex. Subsidiary meta-analyses based on appropriate subsets of the primary data demonstrated broadly similar activation patterns for identity monitoring of verbal stimuli and both location and identity monitoring of nonverbal stimuli. There was also some evidence for distinct frontoparietal activation patterns in response to different task variants. The functional specializations of each of the major cortical components in the generic large-scale frontoparietal system are discussed. We conclude that quantitative meta-analysis can be a powerful tool for combining results of multiple primary studies reported in Talairach space. Here, it provides evidence both for broadly consistent activation of frontal and parietal cortical regions by various versions of the n-back working memory paradigm, and for process- and content-specific frontoparietal activation by working memory. Hum Brain Mapp 25:46-59, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. KW - fmri KW - human KW - metaanalysis KW - nback KW - workingmemory AU - Owen, Adrian AU - Mcmillan, Kathryn AU - Laird, Angela AU - Bullmore, Ed PY - 2005/// UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hbm.20131 ER -