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Specifically, we tested whether orienting attention to a given spatial location within a VSTM representation resulted in modulation of the contralateral delay activity (CDA), a lateralized ERP marker of VSTM maintenance generated when participants selectively encode memory items from one hemifield. In both experiments, retrospective cues during the maintenance period could predict a specific item (spatial retrocue) or multiple items (neutral retrocue) that would be probed at the end of the memory delay. Our results revealed that VSTM performance is significantly improved by orienting attention to the location of a task-relevant item. The behavioral benefit was accompanied by modulation of neural activity involved in VSTM maintenance. Spatial retrocues reduced the magnitude of the CDA, consistent with a reduction in memory load. Our results provide direct evidence that top\u2013down control modulates neural activity associated with maintenance in VSTM, biasing competition in favor of the task-relevant information.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1162\/jocn_a_00087","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2011,7,7]],"date-time":"2011-07-07T17:49:45Z","timestamp":1310060985000},"page":"51-60","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1162\/mitpressjournals.corrections.policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":158,"title":["Attention Modulates Maintenance of Representations in Visual Short-term Memory"],"prefix":"10.1162","volume":"24","author":[{"given":"Bo-Cheng","family":"Kuo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Mark G.","family":"Stokes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Anna 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