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Two-dimensional neural geometry underpins hierarchical organization of sequence in human working memory

Author

Listed:
  • Ying Fan

    (Peking University
    Peking University
    Peking University)

  • Muzhi Wang

    (Peking University
    Peking University
    Peking University)

  • Fang Fang

    (Peking University
    Peking University
    Peking University
    Peking University)

  • Nai Ding

    (Zhejiang University
    Zhejiang University)

  • Huan Luo

    (Peking University
    Peking University
    Peking University
    Peking University)

Abstract

Working memory (WM) is constructive in nature. Instead of passively retaining information, WM reorganizes complex sequences into hierarchically embedded chunks to overcome capacity limits and facilitate flexible behaviour. Here, to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying hierarchical reorganization in WM, we performed two electroencephalography and one magnetoencephalography experiments, wherein humans retain in WM a temporal sequence of items, that is, syllables, which are organized into chunks, that is, multisyllabic words. We demonstrate that the one-dimensional sequence is represented by two-dimensional neural representational geometry in WM arising from left prefrontal and temporoparietal regions, with separate dimensions encoding item position within a chunk and chunk position in the sequence. Critically, this two-dimensional geometry is observed consistently in different experimental settings, even during tasks not encouraging hierarchical reorganization in WM and correlates with WM behaviour. Overall, these findings strongly support that complex sequences are reorganized into factorized multidimensional neural representational geometry in WM, which also speaks to general structure-based organizational principles given WM’s involvement in many cognitive functions.

Suggested Citation

  • Ying Fan & Muzhi Wang & Fang Fang & Nai Ding & Huan Luo, 2025. "Two-dimensional neural geometry underpins hierarchical organization of sequence in human working memory," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 9(2), pages 360-375, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:9:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1038_s41562-024-02047-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-02047-8
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