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Working Memory

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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.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 18, 2026

Use of an Eight-arm Radial Water Maze to Assess Working and Reference Memory Following Neonatal Brain Injury

Use of an Eight-arm Radial Water Maze to Assess Working and Reference Memory Following Neonatal Brain Injury

Published on: December 4, 2013

Associations between white matter microstructure and infants' working memory.

Sarah J Short¹, Jed T Elison, Barbara Davis Goldman

¹Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. sjshort@med.unc.edu

|September 20, 2012

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Infant working memory is linked to white matter

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Probing the Brain in Autism Using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging

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Published on: September 12, 2011

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Last Updated: May 18, 2026

Use of an Eight-arm Radial Water Maze to Assess Working and Reference Memory Following Neonatal Brain Injury

Use of an Eight-arm Radial Water Maze to Assess Working and Reference Memory Following Neonatal Brain Injury

Published on: December 4, 2013

Probing the Brain in Autism Using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Probing the Brain in Autism Using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Published on: September 12, 2011

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Developmental Psychology
Cognitive Science

Background:

Working memory develops in infancy and is crucial for cognitive abilities.
The underlying neural networks for infant working memory are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between white matter microstructure and working memory in 12-month-old infants.
To identify specific white matter tracts associated with visuospatial working memory performance.

Main Methods:

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and deterministic fiber tracking were used to analyze white matter in 73 infants.
Microstructural characteristics (FA and RD values) of selected white matter tracts were correlated with working memory scores.

Main Results:

Infants' visuospatial working memory performance was associated with the microstructure of widespread white matter tracts.
Higher fractional anisotropy (FA) and lower radial diffusivity (RD) in specific tracts correlated with better working memory.
These associations were independent of gestational age and overall developmental level.

Conclusions:

This study provides early evidence of brain-behavior associations in infants using quantitative tractography.
Characterizing individual differences in infant brain development can enhance understanding of normative development and identify biomarkers for neurodevelopmental risks.
Findings highlight the importance of specific white matter tracts for developing working memory in infancy.