Impact of pressure as a tactile stimulus on working memory in healthy participants

PLoS One. 2019 Mar 14;14(3):e0213070. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213070. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Studies on cross-modal interaction have demonstrated attenuated as well as facilitated effects for both neural responses as well as behavioral performance. The goals of this pilot study were to investigate possible cross-modal interactions of tactile stimulation on visual working memory and to identify possible neuronal correlates by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). During fMRI, participants (n = 12 females, n = 12 males) performed a verbal n-back task (0-back and 2-back tasks) while tactile pressure to the left thumbnail was delivered. Participants presented significantly lower behavioral performances (increased error rates, and reaction times) during the 2-back task as compared to the 0-back task. Task performance was independent of pressure in both tasks. This means that working memory performance was not impacted by a low salient tactile stimulus. Also in the fMRI data, no significant interactions of n-back x pressure were observed. In conclusion, the current study found no influence of tactile pressure on task-related brain activity during n-back (0-back and 2-back) tasks.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain / physiology*
  • Female
  • Healthy Volunteers
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Memory, Short-Term / physiology*
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Pilot Projects
  • Reaction Time
  • Touch / physiology*
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

The work is part of a study funded by a grant of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (BU 2621/4-1) to MB. We also acknowledge support by the Open Access Publication Fund of the University of Muenster.