• Has difficulty remembering what someone just said
• Has difficulty finding the right words to use ("blocking")
• Must write down phone number or forget it before dialing
• Interrupts others so as not to forget
• Forgets to remember things
• Has difficulty with mental arithmetic or following complex instructions
• Easily overwhelmed by too much information (emails, etc)
• Short attention span
• When given three things to do, remembers only the first or last thing
• Has trouble concentrating on chores, schoolwork, etc
• Has trouble finishing tasks (chores. homework)
From time to time all of us have experienced some of these symptoms. In deciding if there is a problem, one must consider how often and how severely the symptoms are revealed. Only a thorough clinical evaluation can determine if there is a condition requiring treatment.
Both can be improved through training!
Working memory is a cognitive function that allows us to hold information in our minds and at the same time manipulate that information or other information we need to solve problems or make decisions. Remembering a phone number while you dial the number, doing arithmetic in your head, keeping your train of thought in a conversation, or remembering a person's name during introductions are all examples of using working memory.
Working memory is very different from long-term memory which is our ability recall facts or skills to use even if we have not used those facts or skills recently. Remembering the name of your elementary school or one of your teachers or how to ride a bicycle even after years of not riding are examples of long-term memory.
"Blocking" is a common long-term memory problem especially as we age. This occurs when we try to recall a specific word or name that is stored in our memory but our recall is temporarily prevented or blocked. Although frustrating, in this memory challenge the information is not lost, as in dementia, but our recall is denied.
From the simple to the complex
The simplest measures of working memory are games or simple tests that ask you to remember a string of unrelated numbers or letters. Most people can recall up to about seven (plus or minus two) letters or numbers that are presented for immediate recall. Much more sophisticated measures of memory are available today to objectively assess the different types of memory with which we struggle.
Research documents successful methods
Tying a string around your finger to remember to do something has been replaced today with Post-It notes and task lists in your PDA or cell phone. But these "reminders" are crutches that do not improve memory. Published research and clinical practice reveal that both working memory and "blocking" of long-term memories can be measurably improved through training with neurofeedback.