Understanding Working Memory and Atteniton

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Today, we’ll discuss a few cool things about working memory and attention including…

• Short-term vs. long-term memory

• A working memory test

• Dopamine and working memory

• Tools to help with your working memory and attention

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Short Term vs Long Term Memory:

Our memory has two sides; the long-term one and the short-term one.

In the long-term memory world, we've got two main players – one is all about facts (like knowing the Earth is round), and the other is more about actions (think of it as your autopilot for routine stuff).

Now, short-term memories are like quick notes your brain takes. They stick around for a bit, but not all of them make it to the long-term memory club. Only a tiny bit of what we learn each day gets an invitation to become a long-term memory.

The interesting part? Turning short-term memories into long-term ones is like a team effort. Different areas of the brain collaborate, passing information around smoothly.

Our brain's ability to change and adapt (neuroplasticity) is what makes memories happen. There are various types of this brain magic, all contributing to how we learn and remember things.

Working Memory:

Working memory does not involve neuroplasticity; it’s a reflection of a particular circuit running an algorithm over and over for different types of information. Working memory isn’t stored, it’s intentionally discarded.

Think of working memories as your to-do list for tasks you'd rather not commit to long-term memory. It serves as the mechanism for absorbing crucial information necessary to sequence actions over a brief period. For instance, consider your morning routine – from coffee to water to a run. Working memory allows you to execute these steps without the burden of committing them to long or short-term memory.

This cognitive function is always present, actively participating in our everyday activities. Without it, our ability to organize and sequence tasks would prove to be difficult.

The relationship between working memory and attention is vital. They team up to help you navigate your daily activities with attention becoming the guiding force.

In essence, working memory is a dynamic process, functioning as an engine in our brain. It is always working in the background helping you get things done without overloading your brain. It’s the reason you can remember what to do next in your morning routine without stressing about it.

Test your working memory:

Here’s a fun little test. I would recommend going to Andrew Huberman’s podcast and listening to this part (the time stamp is 20:04 in the link above). Below are three series of letters. Do your best to remember each of the letters in the series. 

• JKZPI

• ROMKLE

• WACQVDN

Now, don’t peek back at them. Depending on how many of those letters you can remember, you’ll know if your working memory is in the low, moderate, or high gear. Your ability to remember the first series of letters after hearing all three is slim (you might remember 0-2 letters. This is totally normal! You held it in mind just as long as you needed at the moment but do not need to commit to short or long-term memory. 

The Brain and Working Memory:

Working memory is like a teamwork project in your brain, involving a couple of cool hubs: the prefrontal cortex (think of it as the control center) and neurons in the brainstem that create a chemical called dopamine.

The amount of dopamine released in a certain timeframe decides if your working memory is in high gear, chillin in medium mode, or taking a little nap in low capacity. When dopamine levels are a bit on the low side, your working memory might not perform at its peak – it's like the team not firing on all cylinders.

But, here's the twist. More dopamine doesn't always mean better working memory. It's a bit like an orchestra. You see, just having more instruments playing doesn’t automatically make the music better, it’s about having the right balance between each instrument. Too much of one, and the harmony is disrupted, too little, and it feels incomplete.  

The relationship between working memory and dopamine follows an inverted U shape function:

• If you have low dopamine available in the prefrontal cortex, your working memory span is short

• As you increase dopamine in the prefrontal cortex, the working memory span becomes greater

• If you increase the amount of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex too much, the working memory span drops below the baseline

Here are 2 studies: 

Study 1, found that folks with a super memory tend to have more dopamine hanging out in their prefrontal cortex. It's like having extra fuel for your brain engine. 

Study 2, adding a dash of dopamine directly into the prefrontal cortex actually improved working memory – like a little boost of brain power.

Dopamine is the boss when it comes to working memory. Introducing other chemicals such as norepinephrine and serotonin into the mix proved to be ineffective in influencing working memory. 

Tools for Better Focus and Memory:

1. NSDR and Yoga Nidra:

Ever heard of non-sleep deep rest (NSDR)? It's like a power nap without actually sleeping. Lie down, and listen to a soothing script (maybe about deep breaths); this can put you in a shallow state of sleep. Yoga Nidra is a fancier version with added intentions. Both are free and worth a shot.

2. Cold showers or plunge:

Submerging yourself in cold water, particularly up to the neck, helps stimulate the release of catecholamines, including dopamine and norepinephrine. A general tip is to keep the water at a temperature you can stay in for 30 seconds to 3 minutes but it’s uncomfortable and you don’t want to be in it.

3. Binaural Beats:

Binaural beats are like music for your brain. They most likely will not increase dopamine but they do result in small to moderate increases in working memory.

Sources:

• Working Memory Capacity Predicts Dopamine Synthesis Capacity in the Human Striatum (The Journal of Neuroscience)

• Inverted-U–Shaped Dopamine Actions on Human Working Memory and Cognitive Control (Biological Psychiatry)

• Cognitive Deficit Caused by Regional Depletion of Dopamine in Prefrontal Cortex of Rhesus Monkey (Science)

• The dopamine agonist bromocriptine differentially affects fronto-striatal functional connectivity during working memory (Frontiers in Human Neuroscience)

• Increased dopamine tone during meditation-induced change of consciousness (Cognitive Brain Research)

• Human physiological responses to immersion into water of different temperatures (European Journal of Applied Physiology)

• The Effect of Binaural Beats on Visuospatial Working Memory and Cortical Connectivity (PLOS ONE)

• Tyrosine Improves Working Memory in a Multitasking Environment (Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior)