Articles tagged with Working Memory
Working memory is a crucial aspect of cognitive function, and researchers are trying to understand its underlying mechanisms. A recent study suggests that brief, coordinated bursts of neural activity may be essential for maintaining working memory. This finding challenges the traditional view that neurons fire continuously during this ...
Researchers from the Higher School of Economics conducted a meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies on working memory in children, revealing concordance in frontoparietal regions and unexpected findings in the prefrontal cortex. The study sheds light on the complex role of the insula and its potential impact on learning.
Researchers debunk claims that brain training games improve working memory and cognitive skills, finding no transfer between trained and untrained tasks. The study's findings support previous research showing that getting good at one game does not enhance IQ or working memory.
Researchers identified a larger volume of gray matter in resilient readers in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is important for executive functions and working memory. This finding may help develop new reading interventions that emphasize executive functions and working memory.
A new mouse study reveals that binge drinking during adolescence can impair working memory and increase the risk of becoming an alcoholic in adulthood. The study found altered neuron excitability and changes in the prefrontal cortex, which may help explain why adolescents who binge drink have memory problems.
Researchers found that anticipating stress can lower working memory later in the day, regardless of actual stressful events. This effect was particularly pronounced for older adults, who already experience cognitive decline.
A new study by Brown University researchers found that children with early-life obesity had lower perceptual reasoning and working memory scores compared to lean children, while also indicating potential lower IQ scores. Obesity was shown to dysregulate hormones affecting multiple brain regions, leading to cognitive difficulties.
Researchers found that brain regions break down communication when trying to retain too much information in working memory. The study suggests that the 'coupling' of brain waves among three key regions breaks down when visual working memory load becomes too much.
Researchers found that as working memory load increases, brain wave synchrony among three key regions breaks down, leading to a loss of communication and sustaining working memory. This study sheds light on the intrinsic limit of conscious thought and cognitive performance, potentially explaining psychiatric disorders.
Researchers found that the right hemisphere equivalent of Broca's area processes musical non-local dependencies, and that this processing is integrated with working memory to determine grammatical rules. The study uses a novel 'genre' of music to tease apart contributions of local and non-local dependencies.
A new study reveals that working memory training with a strategy leads to rapid improvements, contradicting the idea of increased capacity. The findings suggest that task-specific strategies developed during training are key to benefits.
Researchers found that when memory demands are high, signals in the brain correlate to reinforcement learning become stronger, suggesting a cooperative interaction between the two systems. When participants can hold information in mind, signals associated with reinforcement learning weaken, indicating an increased role for working memory.
Researchers at Tohoku University have developed ultra-small magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) down to a single-digit nanometer scale, achieving sufficient retention properties and fast switching speed. The new MTJ design utilizes shape anisotropy, enabling high thermal stability factors and current-induced magnetization switching.
A recent study from Uppsala University found that sleep loss affects women's working memory differently than men's. Women who pulled an all-nighter performed worse on a working memory task, remembering fewer digits after sleep deprivation.
A new study suggests that disruptions in certain regions of the visuospatial working memory network may lead to its impairment in schizophrenia. The precise balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters is altered, leading to impaired visuospatial working memory.
A study found a positive relationship between working memory and healthy traits like physical endurance and cognitive function. Traits associated with suboptimal cardiovascular health, smoking, and binge drinking were linked to less cohesive brain networks.
A new USC-led study suggests that estrogen treatment after menopause can mitigate the negative effects of stress on working memory. Women taking estrogen-only therapy had lower cortisol levels and better performed on tests following exposure to stress compared to those receiving a placebo.
Researchers at NUS found that the brain changes the activity of neurons when distracted, but retains information by reorganizing the 'code' used to store it. This discovery could inspire novel artificial neural network architectures and improve our understanding of brain function.
A study published by Johns Hopkins University researchers found that a specific brain-training method, dual n-back, significantly improved working memory and attention in young adults. This exercise resulted in more substantial changes in brain activity, particularly in the prefrontal cortex region responsible for higher learning.
A study in eNeuro found that when remembering a sequence of events, the brain focuses on the event paid the least attention. The image that generated the weakest response in the brain during encoding was most strongly replayed during the delay period.
Researchers discovered two previously unknown brain areas involved in face recognition, which integrate visual perception with memory and social knowledge. The brain's response to familiar faces is distinct from visually familiar ones, with a sudden 'aha' moment when recognizing a long-known acquaintance.
A study found that a single injection of the longevity hormone klotho fragment improved spatial and working memory, strengthened neuron connections, and countered cognitive deficits in mice. The treatment lasted for several weeks and showed promise as a potential therapy for neurodegenerative diseases.
Italian researchers found that cocoa flavanols can enhance working memory and visual information processing, and even counteract cognitive impairment in women after sleep deprivation. Long-term ingestion of cocoa flavanols improved cognitive performance in elderly individuals with starting memory decline or mild cognitive impairments.
Researchers found that transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) did not produce any additional benefit to working memory training, contradicting previous hype. The study suggests that tDCS may be more effective in specific areas of the brain and that its effects on cognitive abilities are still unclear.
Studies in mice funded by NIH reveal thalamus sustains ability to distinguish categories and hold thoughts in mind. The structure boosts synchronous activity of PFC neurons to sustain memory of category, improving working memory performance.
A study by Northumbria University found that exposure to rosemary aroma significantly enhanced working memory in children aged 10-11. The researchers tested 40 children in two groups: one with rosemary oil diffused in the room and another without scent. Analysis revealed higher scores in the aroma group, especially on word recall tests.
A new study published in Journal of Consumer Research found that individuals with larger working memory capacities tend to feel like they've had an experience more often, leading to faster satiation. This could have implications for marketers and consumers seeking to manage cravings for unhealthy foods.
Research reveals that fluctuations in estrogen can trigger atypical functioning in a key brain memory circuit in women with a common version of the gene, NIMH scientists have discovered. This finding may help explain individual differences in menstrual cycle and reproductive-related mental disorders linked to fluctuations in the hormone.
Combining aerobic and resistance exercises can significantly enhance the brain power of older adults. The analysis showed that exercise improves cognitive abilities, with aerobic exercise enhancing global cognition and resistance training having a pronounced effect on executive function, memory, and working memory.
Research from Sandia National Laboratories shows that brain stimulation combined with working memory training improves cognitive performance. Volunteers who received non-invasive brain stimulation while training showed significant improvements in verbal and spatial tasks, as well as problem-solving ability.
A new study from Florida State University researchers finds no significant impact of brain games on overall cognitive abilities. The team tested whether improving working memory would translate to better performance in other tasks, but found no far transfer effect.
Researchers at Imperial College London found that applying a low voltage current can bring different areas of the brain in sync, enabling people to perform better on tasks involving working memory. The approach could one day be used to treat conditions such as traumatic brain injury, stroke, and epilepsy.
Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz have identified two gaseous messenger substances, nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide, as crucial for the formation of Drosophila's spatial orientation memory. This memory is retained in a small group of ring-shaped neurons in the ellipsoid body of the central brain.
Researchers found that adolescents with weak working memory and progressive drug use are at a higher risk of developing substance abuse problems later in life. Interventions targeting these underlying factors can help prevent substance abuse problems in adolescents.
A new study by UCR psychology professor Weiwei Zhang found that familiarity with a subject can boost memory capacity. Participants were shown Pokémon characters and asked to remember them in working memory; those who were more familiar with the characters remembered more.
Researchers at New York University have discovered a new verbal working memory architecture, which involves two brain networks. This finding has significant implications for the creation of artificial intelligence systems, such as speech translation tools, and may lead to improved human-like intelligence in machines.
A new study from the University of Missouri found a link between working memory and how children learn, suggesting that teaching techniques can be tailored to individual needs. The study suggests that educators can help children with language learning disabilities by reducing information overload and focusing their attention on one task.
Researchers used transcranial magnetic stimulation to revive stowed memories, suggesting a separate state of memory apart from active working memory and deep storage. This breakthrough may help individuals control their attention and manage mental health disorders like schizophrenia and depression.
Researchers discovered that neural activity supporting short-term memories only arises when recall is consciously attempted. This study finds that information in working memory is maintained through mechanisms other than sustained neural activity and can be revived using transcranial magnetic stimulation.
Researchers found that specific changes in neural connections can retain information for short periods, allowing it to be retrieved through noninvasive brain stimulation techniques. The study used TMS to reactivate and strengthen latent memories, demonstrating a dynamic maintenance mechanism under cognitive control.
The Georgia Institute of Technology researchers have created an interactive model of the brain's chemical balance to simulate major systemic changes in schizophrenia sufferers. This tool depicts chemical underpinnings in simple graphics, helping clinicians better understand the disease and test hypotheses virtually.
Researchers discovered that lower-income children have less working memory capacity than their higher-income peers, affecting academic test scores. The study suggests a difference in how lower-income children tap into their working memory, which can be changed with training and better opportunities.
Researchers found dopamine signaling in the cerebral cortex predicts changes in brain network communication during working memory. This study may lead to better treatments for schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders by optimizing dopamine signaling.
A study found that teenagers who multitask between media while studying perform worse academically, having lower working memory and being more impulsive
A study by Northumbria University researchers found that peppermint tea significantly improved long-term memory and working memory, while chamomile tea slowed these functions. The study suggests beneficial effects of peppermint's enhancing and arousing properties on cognition.
Researchers found that unexpected events activate the same brain system responsible for interrupting movement, leading to impaired working memory and disrupted trains of thought. The study focuses on the subthalamic nucleus (STN), a key player in Parkinson's disease treatment.
Researchers are identifying who may benefit from cognitive training and new methods to result in long-lasting, positive effects on cognition. Cognitive neuroscientists are using tools like tDCS to boost working memory, with enhancements lasting over months.
A new-structure magnetic memory device utilizing spin-orbit-torque-induced magnetization switching has been successfully developed by Tohoku University researchers. The device boasts ultrafast magnetization reversal timescales and potential benefits for power-efficient integrated circuits.
Researchers found that neurons fire in brief, coordinated bursts as information is held in working memory, allowing for multiple items to be stored separately. This discovery fits a new model of rapid synaptic strength changes and gamma frequency oscillations.
A new study by Simon Fraser University researchers found that differences in working memory capacity correlate with the brain's ability to actively ignore distraction. Individuals with low memory capacity are unable to suppress distractors, leading to attentional deficits.
Children with ADHD often exhibit hyperactive behavior when trying to solve problems. New FSU research shows that movement can positively impact working memory and cognitive function in these children. The study's findings suggest that fidgeting may be a helpful strategy for improving attention, impulse control, and school success.
A recent study found that hearing aids enhance working memory, selective attention, and processing speed in individuals with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. This improvement allows individuals to focus more efficiently and reduce cognitive fatigue.
A new IU study confirms the existence of independent working memory systems in animals, which could inform new pre-clinical research models for Alzheimer's disease treatment. The results show that rats possess two separate memory resources, allowing them to recall more information across multiple categories.
Preschoolers with poor short-term recall are more likely to drop out of high school, but early intervention can help. Parents can support their child's brainpower by encouraging pretend play, mindfulness, and limiting screen time.
A study by researchers at the University of Montreal found that preschoolers' working memory skills can predict their risk of dropping out of high school. Parents can help their children develop strong working memory skills through activities like pretend play, mindfulness, and limited screen time.
Researchers discovered two alternating activity states in the hippocampus that enable effective working memory, a crucial process for retaining new information. This finding suggests that complex tasks rely on intricate neural mechanisms, contrary to common perceptions of simplicity.
Researchers found hyperconnectivity between fronto-parietal regions and less organized flow of information in individuals with chronic moderate to severe TBI compared to healthy controls. The study suggests a causal relationship between working memory tasks and brain injury.
Childhood cancer survivors showed significant improvements in working memory, attention, and processing speed after completing computer-based cognitive training. The training program, using Cogmed, improved performance comparable to stimulant medications and showed changes in brain activity suggesting neuroplasticity.
A recent study published in Radiology found that older adults recover more slowly from concussions, exhibiting reduced neural plasticity and persistent hypoactivation. This suggests that mild traumatic brain injuries may have a more profound effect on older patients, highlighting the need for age-specific management strategies.
Researchers found that adult survivors of pediatric posterior fossa brain tumors performed significantly lower on standardized clinical tests of working memory, and had increased blood-oxygen level dependent activation in prefrontal regions.