Work

Task load modulates network interactions between bilateral fronto-parietal and cerebellar areas during verbal working memory

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Verbal working memory (VWM) relies on frontal and parietal regions, yet their functional interactions, particularly with the cerebellum, remain underexplored. Prior studies link higher VWM load to increased parieto-prefrontal coupling and associate stronger interactions with better performance. This suggests that connectivity may underlie individual differences in efficiency. However, fronto-parieto-cerebellar dynamics have not been systematically examined to date. We investigated activation and directed functional coupling between six pre-selected regions of interest during a VWM task. Higher task load increased activity in fronto-parietal regions and the cerebellum. Connectivity analyses revealed bidirectional facilitatory interactions between fronto-parietal regions, but reduced cerebello-cortical coupling as demands increased. Positive left parieto-frontal coupling with increasing load showed links to performance, indicating that less interaction was required for good performance. These effects were consistent across two sessions. Our study highlights that fronto-parietal coupling adapts to support increasing task demands, whereas reduced cerebello-cortical interactions suggest a distinct role for the cerebellum.

Source: iScience

DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.115502

Authors: Sabrina Turker, Gerasimos Gerardos, Felix Büch, Beatrice Fumagalli, Philipp Kuhnke, Gesa Hartwigsen

Institutions: University of Vienna, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig University, University of Crete

Language: English

Topic: Functional Brain Connectivity Studies

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,240

Funders: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, European Research Council