The impact of category-based retro-cues on representational prioritization in visual working memory: behavioral and EEG evidence.

Abstract

Previous studies have primarily focused on how object-based or perceptual feature-based cues influence representational prioritization in visual working memory (VWM). However, it remains unclear how semantic category cues modulate this process during the maintenance phase. The present study employed electroencephalography (EEG) and a retro-cue paradigm to investigate how category-based retro-cues regulate representational prioritization in VWM. Behavioral results showed that valid cues improved recognition accuracy and reduced response times for same-object trials (i.e., items matching both category and identity), but decreased recognition accuracy and increased response times for different-object trials (i.e., items matching the category but not the identity). ERP results revealed more negative frontal N1 amplitudes under neutral-cue conditions than valid-cue conditions, indicating greater early attentional demand in the absence of informative cues. Valid cues elicited enhanced P2 and P3 components, reflecting stronger attentional engagement and target updating, while more negative CDA amplitudes suggested the active suppression of non-target items. Time-frequency analyses further demonstrated stronger frontal theta synchronization under neutral cues, whereas valid cues induced greater parieto-occipital alpha desynchronization. Critically, phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) analysis revealed increased coupling between frontal theta phases and parietal alpha amplitudes in the valid-cue condition, suggesting enhanced functional coordination within the frontoparietal attentional network. Together, these findings suggest that category-based retro-cues promote representational prioritization through a dual mechanism of target enhancement and non-target suppression, highlighting the pivotal role of frontoparietal interactions in the dynamic regulation of VWM representations.