Articles tagged with Working Memory
Researchers have identified a mechanism by which cannabinoids in cannabis affect working memory, involving decreased neural connections in the hippocampus. Cannabinoid receptors, particularly those in astroglial cells, modulate synaptic plasticity and impair spatial working memory.
Researchers found that marijuana's psychoactive ingredient THC impairs working memory independently of its effects on neurons. The study suggests that astroglia play an unexpected role in memory and may hold the key to developing treatments for conditions like Alzheimer's.
Researchers found that visual working memory follows a more general pattern of brain activity than previously thought, activating a wider area in the front of the brain for all types of visual stimuli. This study provides support for current models of memory as being located in distributed networks rather than specific brain modules.
Researchers found that working memory capacity significantly impacts performance in various tasks, regardless of deliberate practice. Basic capacities and abilities play an important role in skilled performance, challenging the idea that expertise is solely acquired through experience.
Research published in BMC reveals that musical aptitude is intrinsically related to reading ability, with children who excel in music also showing improved literacy skills. The study found a correlation between neural responses to rhythmic sounds and reading ability, suggesting a common cognitive mechanism underlying both skills.
A new paper by Michigan State University scientist Zach Hambrick finds that working memory capacity can outperform practice in complex tasks such as piano sight reading. The study shows people with higher levels of working memory capacity perform better even with extensive experience and knowledge.
Research shows that a student's perspective can determine success or failure in school. For students with low working memories, there is little difference in performance related to cortisol production or math anxiety. In contrast, for students with high working memories, a positive outlook can lead to better performance under stress.
A new cognitive neuroscientific study challenges traditional models of working memory, introducing a 'multiple-component framework' that considers different capacities operating simultaneously. This framework has practical implications for education and interventions for aging or brain damage.
Researchers found that holding a memory of a visual event can 'contaminate' visual perception, leading to exaggerated misperceptions. The study used a visual illusion to demonstrate this effect, showing participants reported more dramatic changes in motion direction than actually existed.
A new study found that female teens who binge drink have less brain activation and worse performance on attention and working memory tasks. Male binge drinkers showed some but less abnormality compared to non-drinkers. The findings suggest that adolescent girls may be more vulnerable to the negative effects of heavy alcohol use.
A study by MIT neuroscientists found that humans have two independent capacities for working memory, rather than one general capacity of four objects. This discovery resolves a long-standing debate in the field and has significant implications for designing more effective cognitive therapy, brain games, and visual displays.
A new study suggests people with depression struggle to turn their attention away from bad thoughts due to difficulties with working memory. Researchers found that individuals with depression took longer to reorder words in reverse order, especially when the words had negative meanings.
Research by Demaree and Schmeichel found that people with high working memory capacity are better at controlling their emotions after receiving harsh criticism. They use a coping mechanism to make themselves feel better, resulting in less negative emotions.
A Northwestern University study finds that lifelong musical training can benefit adults by offsetting age-related decline in memory and ability to hear speech in noisy environments. Musicians aged 45-65 outperform non-musicians in auditory memory, hearing speech in noise, and other cognitive functions.
Researchers found a link between prenatal chlorpyrifos exposure and decreased IQ and working memory in children at age 7. Higher exposure was associated with lower scores on cognitive tests, with no evidence of a safe threshold below which exposures are completely safe.
A Concordia University study reveals that a cluttered brain can hinder memory, with older individuals struggling to recall and process information. The research suggests that reducing mental clutter and engaging in mentally stimulating activities may help improve memory and cognitive function.
A study by University of Utah psychologists found that individuals with lower working memory capacity are more prone to inattention blindness, missing a person in a gorilla suit walking across the screen. This suggests that people with better control over their attention may be more likely to notice unexpected events.
Researchers at UCSF found that older adults have difficulty switching between tasks due to brain network inefficiencies, affecting working memory and multitasking abilities. The study suggests that attention and memory interaction plays a crucial role in this process.
Researchers at the University of Missouri found that being in a good mood decreases working memory capacity. Participants who watched a comedy routine showed improved moods but struggled with memory recall, highlighting the negative impact of positive mood on working memory storage.
A study found that memory training can decrease delay discounting in stimulant addicts, which is the tendency to choose short-term rewards over long-term benefits. The researchers believe this could lead to improved rehabilitating brain function and potential therapeutic strategies for addiction treatment.
The study found that an area of the brain responsible for holding abstract working memory can also hold auditory information. This discovery may help scientists better understand and treat conditions such as learning disabilities, autism, and schizophrenia.
Researchers investigate how the insula integrates affective and cognitive processes, and how neural systems develop with age. They also examine the role of vision in auditory and tactile integration, and find that vision plays a crucial role in developing this integration.
A new study suggests an intensive computer-based working memory training program can alleviate some ADHD symptoms in children. The five-week program showed significant changes in attention, organization, and working memory skills. Parents reported improvements in ADHD symptoms, and the results were evident four months after treatment.
Researchers found that when damage occurs in the prefrontal cortex, intact areas of the brain can take over lost functions, such as memory, and only activate when needed. This suggests that memory is not stored in one specific region but rather distributed throughout the brain's neural network.
Researchers identified distinct brain network abnormalities in children with pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), with the ADHD group showing more severe dysfunction in working memory circuits. The study suggests that better differentiation between the two disorders could lead to more ac...
Research shows that choking occurs when the brain becomes overwhelmed, leading to information logjams. Practical strategies like stopping analysis and using meditation can help prevent choking in critical moments. Beilock's work also highlights the importance of working memory and addressing stereotype threats in academics and business.
A study by UCLA researchers found that NF1 genetic mutations disrupt working memory in the brain's prefrontal cortex, hindering communication between brain cells. The excess GABA release hampers neural activity, leading to reduced success rates in memory tasks.
A brain fitness program has been shown to improve visual memory in older adults by up to 10%, leading to increased accuracy and a link to changes in neural activity. This study's findings suggest that focused training can lead to plasticity in the brain, improving cognitive function in aging populations.
A study found that pianists' ability to sight-read music is linked to their working memory capacity, not just practice time. Working memory plays a crucial role in musicians' performance, with even significant amounts of practice unable to compensate for poor cognitive abilities.
A study of 387 youths found that impulsivity and sensation-seeking were key factors in adolescent risk-taking behavior. Working memory was not the sole culprit for risky behavior, with some youths exhibiting more sensation-seeking behavior when their working memory was strong.
Researchers mapped over 4 billion neuronal interactions to reveal synchronized brain areas during working memory tasks. The study shows that rhythmic activity between brain regions is linked to both memory maintenance and content.
Researchers have found a specific genetic cause of schizophrenia that impairs communication between the brain's decision-making and memory hubs. Engineered mice with this mutation show difficulty with working memory tasks, highlighting the importance of connectivity in learning and memory.
Researchers at Rutgers University found that mice trained to improve their working memory exhibit improved cognitive abilities and remain sharper as they age. Early training appears to have a lasting impact on the mice's intelligence.
A University of Pennsylvania-led study found that mindfulness training improved mood and working memory in high-stress US Marines. The more time participants spent practicing daily mindfulness exercises, the better their mood and working memory became.
Researchers created stimulus-specific sustained activity patterns in brain circuits maintained in vitro, revealing the possibility of storing information in isolated brain tissue. The study found that semilunar granule cells played a critical role in this process.
A new study at Virginia Tech suggests that parents with weaker working memory skills are less able to control their emotions in response to children's misbehavior. This can lead to chronic parental negativity, which may reinforce negative behavior in children.
A study by Kirby Deater-Deckard et al. found that mothers with poorer working memory skills were more prone to reactive negativity towards their children, leading to increased child abuse and adverse behavior. The research suggests that enhancing working memory skills in parents can lead to improved parenting outcomes.
Researchers at the University of Illinois found that rats exposed to high doses of amphetamines during adolescence displayed significant memory deficits as adults. The declines in short-term memory were most pronounced when exposure occurred during adolescence rather than adulthood.
A recent study found that binge drinkers expend more attentional effort to complete tasks and have difficulties differentiating between relevant and irrelevant information. Young Spanish university students who engaged in binge drinking showed anomalies during a visual working memory task, requiring greater attentional processing.
A study of 84 students found that those with high working-memory capacity were more resistant to distractions, while those with low capacity struggled to focus. The researchers suggest that improving the brain's ability to filter out irrelevant stimuli could lead to new therapies for easily distracted individuals.
Researchers found that acute stress enhances learning and memory by increasing glutamate transmission in the prefrontal cortex. The study suggests that moderate stress may be beneficial for cognitive function, contradicting the common perception of chronic stress as detrimental.
Patients with chronic primary insomnia have higher levels of brain activation compared to normal sleepers, particularly in areas responsible for visual-spatial attention and cognitive processes. This increased activation may help PIs compensate for their sleep difficulties and maintain performance on tasks.
A study by Indiana University researchers found that women who are aware of both a negative and positive stereotype related to performance identify more closely with the positive stereotype, improving their performance. The study demonstrated how the negative stereotype can encroach on working memory, but the positive stereotype had no...
A study by IDIBAPS reveals that prefrontal cortex activation improves working memory by reinforcing parietal cortex activity, enhancing short-term visual information retention. This innovative view opens up new research avenues, particularly for understanding and treating diseases affecting working memory.
The study reveals a mechanism in the brain's neuronal network that restricts working memory capacity to two to seven items, with frontal lobes regulating parietal lobe memory capacity. The 'model brain' computations were confirmed using fMRI experiments and suggest improved working memory through increased frontal lobe activation.
A new Georgia State University study found that police officers with a higher ability to multitask are less likely to shoot unarmed persons when feeling threatened during video simulations. Officers with lower working memory capacity and high negative emotionality were more likely to make shooting decisions.
A study by UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute found that children with ADHD exhibit variable response times during working memory tasks, even when accuracy is similar to typically developing peers. Higher levels of hyperactivity and impulsivity are associated with slower reaction times.
A new University of Central Florida study may explain why children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) move around a lot. The research found that children with ADHD become significantly more active when required to remember and manipulate computer-generated letters, numbers, and shapes for a short time.
A vascular drug has improved spatial learning and working memory in middle-aged rats, suggesting potential benefits for cognitive function in humans. The findings support the use of the drug as a cognitive enhancer for age- or neurodegenerative-related memory dysfunction.
A new study found that playing a strategic video game can improve critical cognitive skills in older adults, including multitasking and working memory. The researchers tested 40 older adults who played the game for 23.5 hours versus a comparison group, and found significant improvements in these areas.
Research by University of Chicago psychologist Sian L. Beilock reveals that math anxiety can be debilitating due to the consumption of working memory resources by worries and stereotypes. Individuals with higher working memory capacity are more prone to 'choke under pressure' when stressed.
Researchers identified a faulty brain circuit and developed an experimental agent that improves working memory and EEG signals in people with schizophrenia. The study found the drug MK-0777 to be well-tolerated, but further trials are needed to verify its value.
A collaborative study reveals how interactions between common gene variants affect brain function in schizophrenia patients, particularly in working memory. The findings suggest that combining these genetic variations may lead to reduced cortical activity, making them potential new targets for treatments.
Research suggests that brain immaturity, specifically in the dentate gyrus region, may contribute to schizophrenia. This underdeveloped area affects working memory and mood regulation., The findings imply a potential biomarker for diagnosing and treating schizophrenia.
Researchers have shown that our visual working memory can be shared out across the whole image, with more memory allocated for objects of interest and less for background detail. This means that we don't just remember every detail, but focus on the broad gist and specific details.
Researchers at University of Illinois found that chronic exposure to estradiol decreases working memory and response inhibition in rats. This impairment is linked to altered brain activity in the prefrontal cortex, a region crucial for planning and decision-making.
A new study reveals that individuals with higher working memory capacity are more likely to make consistent moral judgments and consider consequences of their actions. This capacity helps control emotional reactions, allowing for deliberate processing and rational decision-making.
University of Missouri researchers discovered that the human brain has a fixed capacity for holding information in working memory, with an average capacity of 3-4 items. This finding has significant implications for understanding attention-deficit disorders and improving learning outcomes.
Researchers find working memory retains only a few high-resolution images for a short period, similar to a high-resolution camera. This limited capacity is linked to intelligence and fluid thinking abilities.
A new tool assesses working memory capacity in classrooms, helping teachers identify and address the issue early on. The tool's development aims to improve learning outcomes for children with poor working memory.