Visual Working Memory Storage Recruits Sensory Processing Areas

Abstract

Human visual processing is subject to a dynamic influx of visual information. Visual working memory (VWM) allows for maintaining relevant visual information available for subsequent behavior. According to the dominating view, VWM recruits sensory processing areas to maintain this visual information online (i.e., the ‘sensory recruitment’ hypothesis). In her recent Trends in Cognitive Sciences article, however, Xu [1] proposes that VWM storage does not rely on (occipital) sensory processing areas, but rather on specialized frontal and parietal areas that are not involved in sensory processing per se[1].