α Power Modulation and Event-Related Slow Wave Provide Dissociable Correlates of Visual Working Memory

Abstract

Our work demonstrates that there exist event-related potential and oscillatory correlates of visual working memory (VWM) capacity even in the absence of task-irrelevant distractors. This clearly shows that the two neural correlates are directly linked to maintenance of task-relevant information rather than filtering of task-irrelevant information. Furthermore, we found that these two correlates show differential temporal characteristics. These results are inconsistent with proposals that the two neural correlates are byproducts of asymmetric α power suppression and indicate that they reflect dissociable neural mechanisms subserving VWM.