Long-term and Working Memory – You Are What You Remember

By Gregory Kellett,  a cognitive neuroscience researcher at SFSU and UCSF and science writer for Lumos Labs.

Memories are vital to our ability to function on even the most basic of levels. Our respective “realities” are in fact a large part due to the constantly shifting kaleidoscope of our remembrances. Here we will touch briefly on the difference between short-term/working memory and long-term memory as well as how the two filter and add meaning to our worlds.

What if we could remember everything we experienced? As enticing as it sounds, our finite brains would quickly find themselves overwhelmed with the random details of yesterday’s weather forecast alongside the nutritional information off of last month’s box of raisin bran.

Thankfully, the vast majority of our memories are fleeting mental wisps lasting only seconds to minutes. These temporary impressions make up what is called short-term or working memory.

Working memory can be thought of as a staging area where the mind takes meaning from such items as:

• Specific immediate memories of very recent sensory input (IE the sour smell of expired milk).
• The temporary recollection of details from long-term memories (IE what happened the last time you drank sour milk).
• Conclusions and ideas made in the past (Sour milk is bad).

Notice how working memory can temporarily pull details from long-term memory for short-term use. Although constantly changing and ephemeral itself, working memory is vital to our ability to make decisions and take action over time (such as our pouring that sour milk down the drain). For a brilliant and more in-depth description of working memory read Elizabeth Buchen’s “Working Memory: What it is and how it works”.

When an experience or piece of information sticks and doesn’t evaporate with short-term memory, it is said to have entered into the realm of long-term memory. This journey is called consolidation and takes place after prolonged exposure to a piece of information or experience. The longer the exposure, the better the consolidation, the more robust the related memories will be.

Long-term memories can store much larger quantities of information than working memory and for much longer periods of time (often as much as a lifetime). These resilient long-term recollections are made up of both consciously learned facts, such as “Madrid is the capital of Spain” and subconsciously learned knowledge, such as the ability to balance and ride a bike.

We derive meaning and the ability to act via the synergistic relationship between long-term and working memory. Working memory combines elements from our long-term stores with immediate sensory information in order to generate ideas and plans of action. For example, remembering that the taste of peanut butter is pleasant as we toast toast, might just have us use our memorized skill of unscrewing a jar in order to manifest the pleasurable experience of peanut butter on toast. Which is just one more potentially delicious result of a fit and active mind.

Good Cholesterol and Good Memory

By Gregory Kellett, a cognitive neuroscience researcher at SFSU and UCSF, and writer for Lumos Labs.

A recent British study published by the American Heart Association suggests that the balance of cholesterol in our blood may affect not only heart health but also memory performance. It is widely accepted that diets promoting “Good” cholesterol, otherwise known as high-density lipoprotiens (HDL), can reduce cardiovascular disease, but it now appears that high HDL may also be good for memory.

Researchers tested 3,600 British civil servants for both HDL levels and memory performance over time, first at an average age of 55 and then again at 61.

The results?

• Participants with higher HDL levels did consistently better at recalling items from a list of 20 words after 2 minutes.
• For those whose HDL levels declined between tests there were also declines in memory performance.

Reference:

Singh-Manoux, A., Gimeno, D., Kivimaki, M., Brunner, E., & Marmot, M. G. (2008). Low HDL Cholesterol Is a Risk Factor for Deficit and Decline in Memory in Midlife. The Whitehall II Study. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, 28, 1398.

Free Brain Games: Announcing Name Tag

Lumosity has a new brain game and we wanted to offer you the chance for a sneak peek! The game is called “Name Tag” and targets face and name recognition in a classic “Memory” game format. We know, through user feedback, that many people struggle with this skill in settings ranging from the workplace to barbecues and hope that you will enjoy playing! You can find “Name Tag” here: Play Name Tag!

This game will be free for a short time only.

The URL for the game is: http://games.lumosity.com/name_tag.html

We welcome any feedback you have to offer and will be in touch with more new games in the next month.

If you would like to hear about new games in the future, sign up here and join our new games announcement list.

Memory problems in aging men

Men more likely to have problems with memory and thinking skills

CHICAGO – When it comes to remembering things, new research shows men are more likely than women to have mild cognitive impairment, the transition stage before dementia. The research will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008.

“This is one of the first studies to determine the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment among men and women who have been randomly selected from a community to participate in the study,” said study author Rosebud Roberts, MD, with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and member of the American Academy of Neurology. Mild cognitive impairment can also be described as impairment in memory or other thinking skills beyond what’s expected for a person’s age and education.

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Memory impairment in those over 70

A study released recently by Duke Medical Center declares a depressing prognosis for those of us reaching the golden years. The study found that more than 1 out 3 people over the age of 70 have some degree of memory loss. While some of this group had Alzheimer’s, the majority had a degree of memory loss that was disruptive but not clinical.

The article does offer some hope:

“…notes Richard Suzman, Ph.D., director of the NIA’s Behavioral and Social Research Program. ‘Research is now beginning to suggest that interventions – such as controlling hypertension and diabetes or perhaps cognitive training – might help maintain or improve mental abilities with age. As such interventions are tested and widely applied, we should be able to track their impact through this type of research.’”

May I Have Your Attention, Please?

By guest expert Dr. Cynthia Green, Ph.D., a nationally recognized expert in brain health and president of Memory Arts LLC.

I was once asked if there is one thing that everyone could do to improve memory. Luckily, there was an easy answer. If we only paid better attention to things that we want to retain, we would remember them better.

Of course, improving attention is not quite as easy as it sounds. Let’s face it, life is full of distractions. After all, we have many things competing for our awareness. Think about how many times you’ve been interrupted – or have interrupted yourself – over the past hour alone. Perhaps you got a snack, checked email or took a phone call. In the time that I’ve been working on this piece alone I’ve had to answer the door, help my son edit a paper, and of course constantly check email so I don’t miss anything life altering (hey, you never know). On top of these tempting distractions, add other attention zappers, such as how we sleep, what we eat, if we are stressed or anxious – just a few of the lifestyle factors that may also mire our attention. Finally, aging can contribute to the problem, since as we grow older it can be harder for us to sustain attention. Rarely, however, do we consider how truly essential attention is to memory. So that we go around complaining that we can do difficult work tasks just fine but forget simple things, like brushing our teeth (yuck) or what we went into the other room to get.

Building attention can do wonders for your memory performance. Why? Well, consider for a moment what it takes to remember. First we have to learn, or acquire, things that we want to recall later. After all, if you want to know something, you first have to get it. And that acquisition process requires – you’ve got it – attention. You can start building better attention and focus by:

• Increase Your Awareness. Be aware when you want to remember something later. Then stop and focus your attention in that moment, so you more effectively get the information.
• Build Your Attention. Playing games that challenge your attention and focus can help build your attention capacity. Games, like those in Lumosity’s brain fitness training program, force you to stay focused and think quickly to do well.
• Pay Attention to How You Live. Daily factors such as fatigue, poor diet, anxiety, and stress can really drain your attention. Take the time to think about how things may be affecting your attention day to day. You can boost your attention and therefore your memory simply by leading a lifestyle that supports healthy attention function.
• Stop Overtasking. The human brain is still, well, human. There is only so much we can handle at one time. Protect your attention and your time getting better attention habits. For example, I recently set my email so that it only checks for new messages every 30 minutes. This gives me longer chunks of time without the distraction of messages, which invariably are NOT life altering. Put “Do Not Disturb” signs up at work when working on things which require concentration. Try rewarding yourself with a favorite distraction (a game, a trip to the water cooler) once you’ve completed a task.

In fact, now that I’ve finished this column, I think it’s time to refill my water bottle. So go forth and pay attention to your attention – it will help you remember better.

Dr. Green

Brain Health 101: You Heard What?

By guest expert Dr. Cynthia Green, Ph.D., a nationally recognized expert in brain health and president of Memory Arts LLC.

“Why am I having trouble remembering?” “Is there a special diet to boost my brain power?” We asked and you delivered. Thanks to everyone who wrote in with questions for the new “Ask the Expert” column. I’ll be covering the topics you’ve raised in these first few entries.

As an expert in memory and brain function, I have found that there are some commonly held misconceptions out there about memory. Holding onto these “memory myths” gets in the way when we want to boost our brain power. So, as a “kick off” for our conversation on brain health, lets debunk some of these fallacies, starting with a few of my favorites*:

• The “Secret Handshake” Fallacy. What does it take to have a great memory? Some folks believe that folks who have a great memory have been given access to a great secret, much like those folks in the Masons, who proved their membership through a “secret handshake.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Everyone can improve their memory performance. How? Simply by practicing healthy brain habits.
• The “Memory Cure” Fallacy. Perhaps you’ve heard that caffeine is good for your memory. Or estrogen, vitamin E, gingko biloba, choline, or even phosphatidylserine (ok that last one is fairly esoteric). Guess what – there is NO cure for your memory. Why? Because, if you are the average healthy adult without a diagnosis of a major memory disorder, your memory isn’t sick. What your brain really needs is a good workout, not a pill. And don’t let them tell you otherwise.
• The “If It’s Broke, You Can’t Fix It” Fallacy. “I have a terrible memory.” “I’ve never been able to remember names.” I hear this kind of negative memory talk all the time. Your memory isn’t broken. And all of us (in the absence, again, of a major memory disorder) can improve our memory just by practicing better brain health habits.

So what does it take to improve your recall and gain better brain health? Better brain health habits. Yes, it’s that simple. And that’s no secret. So what are those better brain habits? That’s what we’ll be focusing on here, so stay tuned.

Dr. Green

*For a complete list of my Favorite Fallacies about memory, see Step 1 in Total Memory Workout: 8 Easy Steps to Maximum Memory Fitness (Bantam Dell).

Ask the Expert: Introducing Dr. Cynthia Green

Got a question about memory or brain fitness? Cynthia Green, Ph.D., the nationally recognized expert on developing better memory and brain health, is here to help with the new Ask the Expert column.

Dr. Green began the Memory Enhancement Program at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where she has been a faculty member since 1990. Her first book, Total Memory Workout: 8 Easy Steps to Maximum Memory Fitness, has already been published in 5 languages due to its general applicability for developing a more effective memory. Now, as president of Memory Arts, she continues to lecture and teach the practical principles of brain health.

Submit your cognitive queries as an email to us or as a comment below. Check back at the Brain Health blog for Dr. Green’s expert responses to the most interesting and frequently asked questions.

[Update: Dr. Green has addressed some of your questions in Brain Health 101.]