Working memory functions as a mental workspace, allowing individuals to temporarily hold and manipulate information for immediate tasks. It acts as a temporary storage space, similar to a computer’s RAM. For instance, working memory is engaged when remembering a phone number long enough to dial it, or recalling the first part of a sentence to understand its conclusion. A popular notion suggests this mental faculty can be strengthened through specific exercises.
Types of Working Memory Training
Working memory training programs use specific cognitive drills to challenge and enhance this mental workspace. One widely recognized method is the N-back task, where participants are presented with a sequence of stimuli, such as letters or numbers. They must indicate when the current stimulus matches one presented “n” positions back in the sequence, requiring continuous updating of memory and attention.
Another approach involves dual-tasking, which requires individuals to perform two tasks simultaneously, often combining a cognitive task with a motor task. Examples include walking while counting backward by threes, or balancing on one leg while reciting the alphabet. This training aims to improve divided attention and task-switching abilities.
Complex span tasks represent a third category, designed to assess both the storage and processing components of working memory simultaneously. In these tasks, participants remember a sequence of items while also performing a secondary processing task between item presentations. For example, a person might solve math problems while remembering unrelated letters. Commercial programs like Cogmed and Lumosity offer these types of exercises to consumers.
The Science of Brain Plasticity and Training
The theoretical foundation for working memory training lies in neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to reorganize itself. This involves forming new neural connections and strengthening existing ones in response to experiences and learning. Neuroplasticity is robust during childhood but continues throughout life, allowing the brain to adapt.
The prefrontal cortex, at the front of the brain, is central to executive functions, including working memory, planning, and decision-making. This area works with other regions, such as the posterior parietal cortex, to maintain and manipulate temporary information. The hypothesis is that targeted, repetitive, and progressively difficult mental exercises strengthen these neural circuits, particularly within the frontoparietal network.
Such training is believed to increase the efficiency of neural pathways, potentially leading to increased connectivity within and between prefrontal and parietal regions. Some research indicates this enhanced neural activity may persist for months after training concludes. This strengthening of connections is thought to facilitate improved performance on trained tasks and potentially on other, non-trained cognitive abilities.
Evaluating the Efficacy of Training Programs
When evaluating working memory training programs, two types of improvement are distinguished: “near transfer” and “far transfer.” Near transfer refers to improvements on the specific trained task or very similar tasks. For instance, if a person trains using an N-back task and then performs better on a different N-back task, that is near transfer. This type of improvement is consistently observed across studies.
Far transfer, in contrast, involves the generalization of skills to unrelated cognitive abilities or real-world tasks, such as fluid intelligence, reading comprehension, or daily functioning. The evidence for far transfer is considerably more contested and often weak. While some individual studies reported broader benefits, comprehensive meta-analyses suggest limited real-world benefits for most people.
Meta-analyses, which combine results from multiple studies, generally find small to near-zero effects of working memory training on measures of fluid intelligence, cognitive control, and academic skills. For healthy adults, a small improvement in working memory capacity (a near-transfer effect) is noted, but its practical utility in real-life cognitive improvements is minimal. The scientific consensus indicates that while trained tasks show improvement, generalization to broader, untrained cognitive abilities remains largely unproven.
Broader Approaches to Cognitive Enhancement
Beyond specific working memory training programs, several lifestyle factors support overall brain function, including working memory. Regular aerobic physical exercise is one such approach. Activities like brisk walking or cycling increase blood flow to the brain and promote neuroplasticity. Studies suggest that consistent aerobic exercise can lead to improvements in cognitive functions such as executive function, which encompasses working memory, reasoning, and problem-solving.
Quality sleep also plays a foundational role in cognitive health. During sleep, the brain processes and consolidates information, transferring it from temporary storage to long-term memory. Adequate sleep enhances attention, concentration, and problem-solving skills by improving the functioning of the prefrontal cortex. Chronic sleep deprivation can impair attention span, reduce vigilance, and decrease overall cognitive performance. Adults typically need 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night for optimal cognitive function.
Mindfulness meditation is another practice that contributes to cognitive well-being. This practice involves focusing on the present moment, which can enhance attention control and reduce stress. Research indicates that mindfulness can lead to neuroplastic changes in the brain, improving areas associated with learning, memory, and emotional regulation. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training has been shown to help maintain and improve working memory capacity, even during periods of elevated stress.