Changes in Power and Information Flow in Resting-state EEG by Working Memory Process

TL;DR

This study investigates how working memory processes influence resting-state EEG, revealing frequency-specific changes in power and information flow, especially in the alpha band, which correlates with WM performance.

Contribution

It is the first to analyze resting-state EEG changes related to different stages of working memory processing, highlighting frequency-specific dynamics and their relation to cognitive performance.

Findings

Increased alpha power after WM retrieval.

Significant correlations between alpha band EEG features and WM performance.

Distinct power and information flow patterns in delta, alpha, and beta bands.

Abstract

Many studies have analyzed working memory (WM) from electroencephalogram (EEG). However, little is known about changes in the brain neurodynamics among resting-state (RS) according to the WM process. Here, we identified frequency-specific power and information flow patterns among three RS EEG before and after WM encoding and WM retrieval. Our results demonstrated the difference in power and information flow among RS EEG in delta (1-3.5 Hz), alpha (8-13.5 Hz), and beta (14-29.5 Hz) bands. In particular, there was a marked increase in the alpha band after WM retrieval. In addition, we calculated the association between significant characteristics of RS EEG and WM performance, and interestingly, correlations were found only in the alpha band. These results suggest that RS EEG according to the WM process has a significant impact on the variability and WM performance of brain mechanisms in relation to cognitive function.