Influence of working memory overload on emotional processing and recognition memory: An fNIRS study

Moya, Cristina; Fuentes-Sánchez, Nieves; Martínez-Sáez, Ma. Cruz; Ros, Laura; Latorre, José M. · 2025 · Crossref

DOI: 10.3758/s13421-025-01746-5

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Summary

This study investigates the impact of working memory (WM) overload on emotional processing and recognition memory, addressing a gap in literature regarding how cognitive load influences affective and mnemonic processes. While prior research has extensively examined how emotions affect WM, fewer studies have explored the inverse relationship. The authors hypothesized that WM overload would attenuate subjective emotional intensity, increase dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activation, and alter recognition memory performance, particularly for high-arousal and negative stimuli. The study employed a between-subjects design with 70 healthy volunteers (44 women) randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=34) or a control group (n=36). Participants viewed 50 affective pictures from the International Affective Picture System, categorized by valence (positive/negative) and arousal (high/low), along with neutral images. The experimental group performed a concurrent mathematical calculation update task during picture viewing to induce WM overload, while the control group performed a simple distraction task. Emotional processing was measured via subjective ratings using the Self-Assessment Manikin and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to monitor prefrontal cortical activity. Subsequently, all participants completed a recognition memory task involving 50 pictures (25 previously viewed, 25 new) to assess memory accuracy and response bias. Results indicated that WM overload significantly modulated emotional processing. Subjectively, the experimental group rated negative stimuli as less unpleasant than the control group, suggesting a dampening of negative affect under cognitive load. Neurophysiologically, the experimental group exhibited higher fNIRS activation in the DLPFC (specifically Brodmann Area 46) in response to high-arousal stimuli compared to the control group. Contrary to the hypothesis that WM overload would impair memory, the experimental group demonstrated better recognition for negative and high-arousal stimuli. This finding suggests that while WM load attenuates subjective emotional intensity, it may enhance the encoding or retrieval of emotionally salient information, potentially due to increased prefrontal engagement in managing cognitive load and emotional interference. The findings highlight the critical role of the DLPFC in regulating the interplay between executive functions and emotional processing. The study provides evidence that WM overload does not uniformly impair cognitive-emotional interactions; rather, it reduces subjective unpleasantness while potentially sharpening recognition memory for high-arousal and negative content. These results contribute to understanding the neural mechanisms underlying emotion regulation and memory under cognitive stress, emphasizing the DLPFC’s function in balancing resource allocation between emotional processing and executive control.

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• neuro workload indices