Wongupparaj Peera, Sumich Alexander, Wickens Megan, Kumari Veena, Morris Robin G
Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK; Cognitive Science and Innovation Research Unit (CSIRU), College of Research Methodology and Cognitive Science, Burapha University, Thailand.
Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK; Division of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK.
Biol Psychol. 2018 Nov;139:96-105. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2018.10.009. Epub 2018 Oct 28.
A robust relationship between working memory (WM) and general intelligence (g) has been well established. Nevertheless, explanations for this relationship in terms of underlying neurocognitive processes are still inadequate. This study addresses this issue using an individual differences approach in which Central Executive System (CES) and Short-Term Storage (STS) components of WM are measured comprehensively and examined for their relationship with g via event-related potentials components (P200 and P300) as mediators. Participants (n = 115) completed tests of the WM, CES and STS, as well as g. P200 and P300 components were recorded during 3-back WM task performance. Structural equation modelling showed significant negative associations between the P200 latency for target stimuli and CES shifting processes, and between the P300 amplitude for target stimuli and CES inhibition and updating processes. The relationship between CES processes and g was mediated in a localized fashion by the P300 amplitude. These findings further support the notion that the CES has a multidimensional structure and, importantly, reveal that the inhibition and updating functions of the CES are crucial in explaining the relationship between WM and g. Negative relations between ERP indices (P200 latency and P300 amplitude for target stimuli) and g support a neural efficiency hypothesis related to high intelligence.
工作记忆（WM）与一般智力（g）之间的稳固关系已得到充分确立。然而，从潜在神经认知过程的角度对这种关系的解释仍不充分。本研究采用个体差异方法来解决这一问题，其中对WM的中央执行系统（CES）和短期存储（STS）组件进行了全面测量，并通过事件相关电位组件（P200和P300）作为中介来检验它们与g的关系。参与者（n = 115）完成了WM、CES和STS以及g的测试。在3-back WM任务执行期间记录了P200和P300组件。结构方程模型显示，目标刺激的P200潜伏期与CES转换过程之间存在显著负相关，目标刺激的P300波幅与CES抑制和更新过程之间也存在显著负相关。CES过程与g之间的关系以局部方式由P300波幅介导。这些发现进一步支持了CES具有多维结构这一观点，重要的是，揭示了CES的抑制和更新功能在解释WM与g之间的关系中至关重要。ERP指标（目标刺激的P200潜伏期和P300波幅）与g之间的负相关支持了与高智力相关的神经效率假说。
