Abstract: Brain mechanism of working memory (WM) is the important study issue of cognitive neuroscience. Based on analyzing much neuroimaging studies’ data, researchers established various brain models to explain the neural basis of WM. Smith & Jonides developed the updated architecture model and the dissociated model of storage versus executive processes in frontal lobe. Postle & D’Esposito constructed the WM hybrid model of comparable representation. D’Esposito, Postle & Rypma demonstrated the WM dynamic model of processes’ stages. Fletcher & Henson proposed a WM integrated theory of frontal areas. The present paper summarized several problems existed in the neuroimaging study of WM, and prospected the developmental tendency in the research area via reviewing above models or theories.

Key words: working memory, maintenance, temporal storage, executive control, brain models