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Related Concept Videos

Working Memory01:24

Working Memory

Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this information.
Interference and Decay01:16

Interference and Decay

Forgetting is a complex cognitive phenomenon influenced by several factors, among which interference and decay are particularly prominent. These processes explain why individuals often struggle to retrieve specific information from memory, leading to lapses in recall that can be observed in everyday situations.
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
Chunking and Rehearsal in Sensory Memory01:22

Chunking and Rehearsal in Sensory Memory

Improving short-term memory can be achieved through techniques like chunking and rehearsal. Chunking involves organizing information into larger, more manageable units. This technique is particularly useful for information that exceeds the typical memory span of between five and nine items. For instance, logging into an online account with a password like "ta89vq0179gz" involves grouping letters and numbers into three chunks—ta89, vq01, and 79gz. It makes large amounts of information more...
Long-Term Memory01:18

Long-Term Memory

Long-term memory is a relatively permanent type of memory, capable of storing vast amounts of information over extended periods. Its storage capacity is generally considered unlimited.
Long-term memory can be categorized into two primary types: explicit and implicit memory. Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, involves the conscious recollection of information that we deliberately try to remember, recall, and articulate. This type of memory encompasses specific facts, events, and...
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory01:14

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory

The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the cerebellum's...
Understanding Memory01:19

Understanding Memory

Memory is the retention of information or experiences over time, facilitated through three main processes: encoding, storage, and retrieval. Encoding is the process of inputting information into the memory system. For instance, when listening to a lecture, watching a play, reading a book, or having a conversation, the brain is actively encoding information. This initial stage involves transforming sensory input into a form that can be processed and stored by the brain. Various factors, such as...

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Related Experiment Video

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Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment
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Published on: September 20, 2020

Coherence and recurrency: maintenance, control and integration in working memory.

Gezinus Wolters1, Antonino Raffone

  • 1Department of Psychology, Institute for Psychological Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands. wolters@fsw.leidenuniv.nl

Cognitive Processing
|September 29, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Working memory (WM) involves maintaining information, controlling attention, and integrating data, primarily in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Its capacity is limited by pattern coherence, not size, influencing goal-directed behavior.

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Published on: September 20, 2020

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Assessing Working Memory in Children: The Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children – Working Memory (CABC-WM)

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Neurobiology
  • Computational Neuroscience

Background:

  • Working memory (WM) is crucial for guiding behavior based on internal goals.
  • The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is implicated in executive functions.
  • Existing models may not fully capture the interdependent nature of WM functions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a model describing working memory as three interdependent functions implemented in the PFC.
  • To detail a model for the maintenance function and extend it to attention control and integration.
  • To elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying information maintenance and integration in WM.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a computational model for information maintenance based on recurrent neural loops.
  • Analysis of pattern coherence and synchronous firing for determining maintenance capacity.
  • Modeling top-down attentional control via modulation and re-entry of information.
  • Conceptualizing information integration through hierarchically organized PFC modules.

Main Results:

  • The proposed model demonstrates the capacity to maintain a limited number of neural patterns.
  • Maintenance capacity is determined by pattern coherence (chunking) rather than the sheer number of patterns.
  • A limit of approximately four concurrently reverberating assemblies is suggested.
  • Top-down attentional control and information integration are modeled within the PFC framework.

Conclusions:

  • Working memory is best conceptualized as maintenance, attention control, and integration, implemented in the PFC.
  • Recurrent loops in the PFC and posterior brain regions support information maintenance.
  • Pattern coherence and synchronous firing are key determinants of WM capacity.
  • Large-scale integration may form an 'episodic buffer' and contribute to the central executive.