The cognitive neuroscience of visual working memory - volume II

Working memory allows us to maintain and use information in mind within a short time frame, e.g. keeping track of steps and ingredients as we are preparing a meal. This information can come from the sensory systems or can be recalled from our long-term memories; therefore working memory is crucial both for learning and remembering. According to the dominant neuroscientific model, a central mechanism that supports visual working memory is robust delayed activity in the prefrontal cortex, which affects the stimulus processing in posterior sensory areas. In this Research Topic, we bring together contributions that range from developmental psychology to single unit recordings to examine the robustness of the traditional model and explore alternative neural mechanisms that may support visual working memory. We welcome original research articles, theoretical and computational studies, review articles, and methodological advances related to the cognitive neuroscience of working memory. The scope of this Research Topic includes, but is not limited to, studies aimed at understanding: 1) the function of delay activity in the prefrontal cortex and other cortical brain areas; 2) alternative mechanisms that support working memory based on neural data and modeling studies; 3) the relationship of working memory with attention and cognitive control functions; 4) the developmental trajectory of working memory in the human brain.