Long-term memory prepares neural activity for perception

摘要

Our memories shape how we see the world. As we learn the regularities in our environment, we build expectations that help us process new information. These expectations, which become coded in our long-term memory (LTM), provide a rich source of predictive information for optimizing perception for goal-directed behavior; however, studies have not yet identified the neural mechanisms that integrate learned predictions with attentional control. Here, we demonstrate that the contents of LTM may optimize perception by modulating anticipatory brain states. By using a paradigm that integrates LTM and attentional orienting, we first show that the contents of LTM sharpen perceptual sensitivity for targets presented at remembered spatial locations.