Will Working Your Working Memory Improve Untrained Cognitive Abilities?

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chandramallika Basak ◽  
Debshila Basu Mallick ◽  
Fernanda Pierre
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Abilities

The Developing Relationship Among Cognition, Amplification, and Aural Rehabilitation

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (6) ◽  
pp. 47-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey J. DiGiovanni ◽  
Travis L. Riffle
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Hearing Aid Fitting ◽  
Aural Rehabilitation ◽  
Basic Concepts ◽  
And Function

The search for best practices in hearing aid fittings and aural rehabilitation has generally used the audiogram and function stemming from peripheral sensitivity. In recent years, however, we have learned that individuals respond differently to various hearing aid and aural rehabilitation techniques based on cognitive abilities. In this paper, we review basic concepts of working memory and the literature driving our knowledge in newer concepts of hearing aid fitting and aural rehabilitation.

scholarly journals Working Memory, Fluid Reasoning, and Complex Problem Solving: Different Results Explained by the Brunswik Symmetry

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
André Kretzschmar ◽  
Stephan Nebe
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Latent Variables ◽  
Complex Problem ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Complex Problem Solving ◽  
Symmetry Principle ◽  
Fluid Reasoning ◽  
The Impact

In order to investigate the nature of complex problem solving (CPS) within the nomological network of cognitive abilities, few studies have simultantiously considered working memory and intelligence, and results are inconsistent. The Brunswik symmetry principle was recently discussed as a possible explanation for the inconsistent findings because the operationalizations differed greatly between the studies. Following this assumption, 16 different combinations of operationalizations of working memory and fluid reasoning were examined in the present study (N = 152). Based on structural equation modeling with single-indicator latent variables (i.e., corrected for measurement error), it was found that working memory incrementally explained CPS variance above and beyond fluid reasoning in only 2 of 16 conditions. However, according to the Brunswik symmetry principle, both conditions can be interpreted as an asymmetrical (unfair) comparison, in which working memory was artificially favored over fluid reasoning. We conclude that there is little evidence that working memory plays a unique role in solving complex problems independent of fluid reasoning. Furthermore, the impact of the Brunswik symmetry principle was clearly demonstrated as the explained variance in CPS varied between 4 and 31%, depending on which operationalizations of working memory and fluid reasoning were considered. We argue that future studies investigating the interplay of cognitive abilities will benefit if the Brunswik principle is taken into account.

Effects of urban noise variability on cognitive abilities in indoor spaces: Gender differences

2021 ◽  
pp. 095745652110307
Author(s):  
Massimiliano Masullo ◽  
Gennaro Ruggiero ◽  
Daniel Alvarez Fernandez ◽  
Tina Iachini ◽  
Luigi Maffei
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Verbal Memory ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Cognitive Domain ◽  
Cognitive Tasks ◽  
Indoor Environments ◽  
Urban Noise ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Open Window ◽  
Indoor Spaces

Previous evidence has shown that exposure to urban noise negatively influences some cognitive abilities (i.e. verbal fluency and delayed recall of prose memory) of people in indoor spaces. However, long-standing literature in the cognitive domain has reported that men and women can show different performance on cognitive tasks. Here, we aimed to investigate if and how different patterns of perceived urban noises in indoor environments could affect male and female participants’ cognitive abilities. Ambisonic sound recordings representing scenarios with varying noise patterns (low, medium and high variability) were acquired with an open window at three dwellings in a southern Italian city. As a control condition, the recordings were caught inside a quiet room. While exposed to theses four auditory conditions, participants had to perform cognitive tasks assessing free verbal memory recall, auditory–verbal recognition and working memory. The results show that male and female participants have a different tolerance to noise patterns. Women overperform men on verbal tasks, while the contrary effect emerges with men outperforming women on visuospatial working memory tasks.

scholarly journals Developmental Fractionation of Working Memory and Response Inhibition During Childhood

2007 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoshi Tsujimoto ◽  
Mariko Kuwajima ◽  
Toshiyuki Sawaguchi
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Response Inhibition ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Neural Systems ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Efficient Processing ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract. The lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) plays a major role in both working memory (WM) and response inhibition (RI), which are fundamental for various cognitive abilities. We explored the relationship between these LPFC functions during childhood development by examining the performance of two groups of children in visuospatial and auditory WM tasks and a go/no-go RI task. In the younger children (59 5- and 6-year-olds), performance on the visuospatial WM task correlated significantly with that in the auditory WM task. Furthermore, accuracy in these tasks correlated significantly with performance on the RI task, particularly in the no-go trials. In contrast, there were no significant correlations among those tasks in older children (92 8- and 9-year-olds). These results suggest that functional neural systems for visuospatial WM, auditory WM, and RI, especially those in the LPFC, become fractionated during childhood, thereby enabling more efficient processing of these critical cognitive functions.

scholarly journals Genetic Architecture of Working Memory Cognitive Function of Twins

2020 ◽  
pp. 129-135
Author(s):  
. Annu ◽  
Bimla Dhanda
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Genetic Architecture ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Genetic Material ◽  
Monozygotic Twins ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Heritability Estimate ◽  
Heritability Estimates

The twin research has provided a deep understanding of the influence of genetic and the environment on cognitive functions. The contribution of genetic material accounted for 50-65% in the variations of working memory cognitive functions of twins. To conduct twin study 100 pairs of twins from two districts, namely: Bhiwani (N = 90) and Hisar (N = 110) of Haryana State, were taken. The working memory cognitive functions of twins were measured using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children- Revised (WISC-R). Heritability estimate was used to examine the genes that contributed to shaping the cognitive functions of twins. The result of heritability estimates revealed that the heritability estimates of working memory cognitive functions namely: digit span (62%), maze (58%) and arithmetic (58%) in Bhiwani district and Hisar district, were 57%, 51% and 54% for digit span, maze, and arithmetic respectively. The findings elucidated that the working memory cognitive functions were more influenced by genetic architecture than the environmental factors. The monozygotic twins were more correlated in their general cognitive abilities than the dizygotic twins.

scholarly journals The Cognitive Underpinnings of Multiply-Constrained Problem Solving

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek Ellis ◽  
Gene Arnold Brewer ◽  
Matthew Kyle Robison
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Attention Control ◽  
Crystallized Intelligence ◽  
Constrained Problems ◽  
Constrained Problem ◽  
Analytical Strategies ◽  
Fluid And Crystallized Intelligence

An individual encounters problem of varying difficulty every day. Each problem may include a different number of constraints. Multiply-constrained problems, such as the compound remote associates, are commonly used to study problem solving. Since their development, multiply-constrained problems have been related to creativity and insight. Moreover, research has investigated the cognitive abilities underlying problem solving abilities. In the present study we sought to fully evaluate a range of cognitive abilities (i.e., working memory, attention control, episodic and semantic memory, and fluid and crystallized intelligence) previously associated with multiply-constrained problem solving. Additionally, we sought to determine whether problem solving ability and strategies (analytical or insightful) were task specific or domain general through the use of novel problem solving tasks (TriBond and Location Bond). Multiply-constrained problem solving abilities were shown to be domain general, solutions derived through insightful strategies were more often correct than those derived through analytical strategies, and crystallized intelligence was the only cognitive ability that provided unique predictive value after accounting for all other abilities.

scholarly journals Possible Effect of Headphone Usage on Working Memory Among Students in Faculty of Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria‒Nigeria

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Yushau Yusuf ◽  
Muhammad U.A ◽  
Isah F.A
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Signal Processing ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Stored Information ◽  
Age Range ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Back Task

Working memory is a system that is responsible for transient holding and processing of new and already stored information. It also involves processing for reasoning, comprehension, learning and memory updating. Headphones are a pair of small loudspeakers that are designed to be held in place close to a user’s ear. They are electroacoustic transducers which convert electrical signals to a corresponding sound in the user’s ear. Several studies have recently shown a link between cognitive abilities and response to hearing aid and signal processing in the brain. Therefore, the relationship between headphone usage among healthy subjects become pertinent. This study is aimed at evaluating the effect of headphone on working memory using N-back task. One hundred (100) participants (55 headphone users and 45 non-headphone user’s) within the age range of 18-31 years were assessed. Participants were instructed to keep in memory, a series of letters and say “target” whenever there was a repetition of letter with exactly one intervening letter and to remain silent when any other letter appeared. The results of this study showed that there was no statistically significant difference in working memory between headphone and non-headphone users with p>0.05. In conclusion, this study revealed headphone use has no effect on working memory of the participants subjected to N–back test.

scholarly journals Mapping the neuroanatomic substrates of cognition in familial attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 590-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Muster ◽  
Saadia Choudhury ◽  
Wendy Sharp ◽  
Steven Kasparek ◽  
Gustavo Sudre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Information Processing ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Medication History ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Psychostimulant Medication

AbstractBackgroundWhile the neuroanatomic substrates of symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been investigated, less is known about the neuroanatomic correlates of cognitive abilities pertinent to the disorder, particularly in adults. Here we define the neuroanatomic correlates of key cognitive abilities and determine if there are associations with histories of psychostimulant medication.MethodsWe acquired neuroanatomic magnetic resonance imaging data from 264 members of 60 families (mean age 29.5; s.d. 18.4, 116 with ADHD). Using linear mixed model regression, we tested for associations between cognitive abilities (working memory, information processing, intelligence, and attention), symptoms and both cortical and subcortical volumes.ResultsSymptom severity was associated with spatial working memory (t = −3.77, p = 0.0002), processing speed (t = −2.95, p = 0.004) and a measure of impulsive responding (t = 2.19, p = 0.03); these associations did not vary with age (all p > 0.1). Neuroanatomic associations of cognition varied by task but centered on prefrontal, lateral parietal and temporal cortical regions, the thalamus and putamen. The neuroanatomic correlates of ADHD symptoms overlapped significantly with those of working memory (Dice's overlap coefficient: spatial, p = 0.003; verbal, p = 0.001) and information processing (p = 0.02). Psychostimulant medication history was associated with neither cognitive skills nor with a brain–cognition relationships.ConclusionsDiagnostic differences in the cognitive profile of ADHD does not vary significantly with age; nor were cognitive differences associated with psychostimulant medication history. The neuroanatomic substrates of working memory and information overlapped with those for symptoms within these extended families, consistent with a pathophysiological role for these cognitive skills in familial ADHD.

Neural substrate and underlying mechanisms of working memory: insights from brain stimulation studies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zakia Z Haque ◽  
Ranshikha Samandra ◽  
Farshad Alizadeh Mansouri
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Brain Stimulation ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Electrophysiological Recording ◽  
Great Opportunity ◽  
Neural Substrate ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

The concept of working memory refers to a collection of cognitive abilities and processes involved in the short-term storage of task-relevant information to guide the ongoing and upcoming behaviour and therefore describes an important aspect of executive control of behaviour for achieving goals. Deficits in working memory and related cognitive abilities have been observed in patients with brain damage or neuropsychological disorders and therefore it is important to better understand neural substrate and underlying mechanisms of working memory. Working memory relies on neural mechanisms that enable encoding, maintenance and manipulation of stored information as well as integrating them with ongoing and future goals. Recently, a surge in brain stimulation studies have led to development of various non-invasive techniques for localized stimulation of prefrontal and other cortical regions in humans. These brain stimulation techniques can potentially be tailored to influence neural activities in particular brain regions and modulate cognitive functions and behaviour. Combined use of brain stimulation with neuroimaging and electrophysiological recording have provided a great opportunity to monitor neural activity in various brain regions and non-invasively intervene and modulate cognitive functions in cognitive tasks. These studies have shed more light on the neural substrate and underlying mechanisms of working memory in humans. Here, we review findings and insight from these brain stimulation studies about the contribution of brain regions, and particularly prefrontal cortex, to working memory.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document