Project description
The mysteries of visual working memory
Visual working memory (VWM) is essential for temporarily holding visual information, yet the exact neural mechanisms behind it remain debated. Specifically, the role of the sensory visual cortex in VWM is unclear, with conflicting evidence from various studies. This uncertainty highlights the need for a decisive investigation into the brain’s involvement in VWM. Understanding this could advance cognitive neuroscience. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) programme, the RESTORE project will integrate transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with electroencephalography (EEG). This approach will provide evidence on the sensory visual cortex’s role in VWM. In addition to addressing a key scientific controversy, RESTORE also aims to enhance research methodologies and foster knowledge transfer, paving the way for future studies.
Objective
Visual working memory (VWM) is the cognitive process responsible for temporarily maintaining in mind visual information that is no longer in view. The neural architecture of VWM has been of continuous scientific interest and it has been proposed that the sensory visual cortex is involved in the brain network responsible for successful REpresentation STOragE during VWM. However, the contribution of the sensory visual cortex in VWM remains a subject of intense debate, underscoring the need for a decisive investigation. RESTORE aims to shed light on this debate. Through a three-way transfer of knowledge, RESTORE will lead to contemporary methodology, by combining transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with electroencephalography (EEG), resulting in a robust and cost-effective approach for studying VWM. By combining TMS with EEG, RESTORE will surmount the limitations of previous work (e.g. the correlational nature of brain-imaging studies, the lack of evidence for neural activity in brain-stimulation studies) and thus result in causal evidence for the role of the sensory visual cortex during VWM. This scientific leap will not only resolve a longstanding controversy but also introduce an efficient approach for conducting neuroscientific research, hence contributing to the literature and advancing the current state-of-the-art. In addition, RESTORE will enhance the expertise repertoire of the researcher and the participating organisations. In turn, this will establish a strong foundation for pursuing ambitious and innovative research in the future, as well as provide knowledge and skills for training future researchers in contemporary research. RESTORE's innovative integration of TMS and EEG aims to decisively illuminate the longstanding debate about the role of the sensory visual cortex in VWM and lays a solid groundwork for future ambitious investigations, while fostering expertise and knowledge transfer for the next generation of researchers.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-GF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global FellowshipsCoordinator
3036 Lemesos
Cyprus