CENTRAL EXECUTIVE FUNCTION IN WORKING-MEMORY - EVENT-RELATED BRAIN POTENTIAL STUDIES

Visual event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded during a ru nning memory task, in which subjects dynamically revised (updated) mem ory stores, and a control task not requiring maintenance of a changing memory set but utilising identical stimulus sequences and response pa tterns. In three experiments, ERPs associated with cognitive processes were isolated through subtraction of control potentials from ERPs acq uired during updating. We provide evidence that resultant difference E RPs primarily reflected processing or processing control, as opposed t o storage. These findings are consistent both with Baddeley's working memory model, which postulates separate storage and control modules, a nd Morris and Jones' behavioral evidence for specific involvement of B addeley's central executive in memory updating. In addition, our ERP d ata indicate that updating requires processes not suggested by Morris and Jones' behavioural studies; possibly control processes engaged to reduce the effects of proactive interference. Overall the data are con sistent with the discovery of an ERP correlate of central executive ac tivity. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.