How does ADHD affect memory. What are the main causes of memory loss. Can ADHD symptoms be mistaken for dementia. When should you see a doctor about memory problems. How can you differentiate between ADHD-related forgetfulness and other causes of memory issues.

The Complex Relationship Between ADHD and Memory

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and memory issues often go hand in hand, but the connection is not always straightforward. People with ADHD frequently struggle with forgetfulness, but it’s crucial to understand the specific ways ADHD impacts memory function.

Types of Memory Affected by ADHD

ADHD primarily affects two types of memory:

• Working memory: This allows you to retain and manipulate information for short periods, crucial for following instructions or completing tasks.
• Long-term memory: While not directly impaired, ADHD can interfere with the process of forming long-term memories due to attention and focus issues.

How does ADHD impact working memory? Studies have shown that both children and adults with ADHD tend to have less effective working memory compared to those without the condition. This can manifest as difficulty remembering instructions, forgetting items, or losing track of tasks.

Distinguishing ADHD Memory Issues from Other Causes

While ADHD-related memory problems are common, it’s essential to recognize that memory loss can have various causes. Some potential culprits include:

• Normal aging
• Mental health issues (stress, depression, trauma)
• Sleep disorders
• Vitamin deficiencies
• Substance use
• Medications
• Hormonal changes
• Thyroid problems

Is it possible to differentiate between ADHD-related memory issues and other causes? While it can be challenging, there are some key factors to consider:

1. Onset of symptoms: ADHD symptoms typically begin in childhood, whereas other causes of memory loss may develop later in life.
2. Recent life changes: New stressors, medications, or physical health issues could point to a different underlying cause.
3. Additional symptoms: Memory loss due to physical causes often comes with other symptoms like headaches, vision changes, or muscle weakness.
4. Nature of forgetfulness: ADHD-related memory issues often involve losing items or forgetting appointments, while dementia might cause more profound memory loss, like getting lost in familiar places.

The Impact of Age on Memory and ADHD Symptoms

As we age, some degree of memory decline is normal. However, this natural process can sometimes be confused with ADHD symptoms or other cognitive issues.

Age-Related Memory Changes

How does aging affect memory? The brain undergoes physical changes with age, leading to:

• Slower processing of new information
• Difficulty with multitasking
• Mild forgetfulness

These changes typically begin in your 30s and 40s, becoming more noticeable by age 60. It’s important to note that while these changes are normal, they shouldn’t significantly impair daily functioning.

ADHD Symptoms in Older Adults

Can ADHD symptoms change or become more noticeable with age? While ADHD itself doesn’t worsen over time, certain life changes can make symptoms more apparent:

• Retirement: The loss of daily structure can exacerbate issues with time management and task completion.
• Menopause: Hormonal changes may intensify ADHD symptoms in some women.

Potential Serious Causes of Memory Loss

While many causes of memory loss are benign or treatable, some can indicate more serious underlying conditions. These may include:

• Brain injuries from accidents or infections
• Strokes
• Brain tumors
• Neurological conditions (epilepsy, multiple sclerosis)
• Systemic illnesses affecting the brain (Lyme disease, HIV)

How can you identify if memory loss is due to a serious condition? Look for additional symptoms such as:

• Sudden onset of memory problems
• Persistent headaches
• Vision changes
• Muscle weakness or paralysis
• Balance issues
• Confusion or disorientation

If you experience these symptoms, especially if they come on suddenly, seek immediate medical attention.

The Role of Medications in Memory Issues

Various medications can affect memory function, either as a direct side effect or through interactions with other drugs. Some common culprits include:

• Antidepressants
• Antihistamines
• Pain medications, especially narcotics
• Blood pressure medications
• Cholesterol-lowering drugs
• Incontinence medications
• Anti-seizure drugs

How can you determine if your medications are causing memory problems? Keep a detailed list of all your medications, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements. Discuss any concerns with your healthcare provider, who can evaluate potential side effects or interactions.

ADHD and the Risk of Dementia

A common concern for many people experiencing memory issues is the potential for dementia. While ADHD and dementia can share some symptoms, they are distinct conditions with different underlying causes.

Key Differences Between ADHD and Dementia

How can you distinguish between ADHD-related memory issues and early signs of dementia?

• Age of onset: ADHD symptoms begin in childhood, while dementia typically appears after age 65.
• Progression: ADHD symptoms remain relatively stable, while dementia symptoms gradually worsen over time.
• Type of memory affected: ADHD primarily impacts working memory, while dementia affects both short-term and long-term memory.
• Impact on daily life: ADHD may cause difficulties with organization and task completion, but dementia can severely impair overall functioning and independence.

Is there a link between ADHD and increased risk of dementia? Current research does not suggest a direct causal relationship between ADHD and dementia. However, some studies have found that adults with ADHD may have a slightly higher risk of developing certain types of dementia later in life. More research is needed to fully understand this potential connection.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Memory Issues

Experiencing memory problems can be concerning, but not all instances require immediate medical attention. However, certain situations warrant a visit to your healthcare provider:

• Sudden onset of memory loss
• Memory issues that interfere with daily activities
• Confusion or disorientation
• Accompanying physical symptoms (headaches, vision changes, weakness)
• Concerns about medication side effects
• Persistent forgetfulness that seems different from your usual ADHD symptoms

What should you expect during a medical evaluation for memory issues? Your healthcare provider may:

1. Take a detailed medical history
2. Perform a physical examination
3. Order blood tests to check for vitamin deficiencies or thyroid problems
4. Conduct cognitive assessments
5. Recommend imaging studies (CT scan or MRI) if necessary
6. Refer you to a specialist (neurologist or neuropsychologist) for further evaluation

Remember, early intervention is key in addressing memory issues, whether they’re related to ADHD or another underlying cause.

Strategies for Managing ADHD-Related Memory Problems

While ADHD can present challenges with memory and organization, there are numerous strategies that can help mitigate these issues:

External Memory Aids

• Use smartphone apps or digital calendars for reminders and scheduling
• Keep a notebook or planner for important information
• Create to-do lists and break tasks into smaller, manageable steps
• Use visual cues like sticky notes or whiteboards

Lifestyle Modifications

How can lifestyle changes improve memory function in individuals with ADHD?

• Establish consistent routines to reduce cognitive load
• Practice mindfulness meditation to improve focus and attention
• Engage in regular physical exercise to boost cognitive function
• Ensure adequate sleep to support memory consolidation
• Maintain a balanced diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins

Cognitive Training

Can cognitive training exercises improve working memory in people with ADHD? Some studies suggest that targeted cognitive training may help enhance working memory capacity. Consider:

• Brain training games and apps designed to improve working memory
• Dual n-back tasks, which have shown promise in some research
• Memory exercises like memorizing lists or sequences

It’s important to note that while these strategies can be helpful, they should be used in conjunction with proper medical treatment for ADHD, which may include medication and behavioral therapy.

The Importance of a Holistic Approach to ADHD and Memory Management

Addressing memory issues in the context of ADHD requires a comprehensive approach that considers various factors:

Comprehensive ADHD Management

How does effective ADHD treatment impact memory function? Proper management of ADHD symptoms through medication, therapy, and lifestyle modifications can indirectly improve memory by:

• Enhancing focus and attention
• Reducing distractibility
• Improving organizational skills
• Boosting overall cognitive function

Addressing Co-existing Conditions

Many individuals with ADHD have co-occurring conditions that can impact memory and cognitive function. These may include:

• Anxiety disorders
• Depression
• Learning disabilities
• Sleep disorders

Treating these conditions alongside ADHD can lead to significant improvements in overall cognitive function and quality of life.

Regular Health Monitoring

Why is ongoing health monitoring important for individuals with ADHD and memory concerns? Regular check-ups allow for:

• Early detection of potential health issues affecting memory
• Adjustment of medications as needed
• Monitoring of ADHD symptoms and treatment efficacy
• Assessment of overall cognitive function

By taking a holistic approach to ADHD and memory management, individuals can optimize their cognitive function and better navigate the challenges associated with the condition.

Understanding the complex relationship between ADHD and memory is crucial for effective management and treatment. While ADHD can certainly impact memory function, it’s important to recognize that memory issues can have various causes. By working closely with healthcare providers, implementing targeted strategies, and addressing overall health and well-being, individuals with ADHD can improve their memory function and enhance their quality of life. Remember, if you’re experiencing persistent or concerning memory problems, don’t hesitate to seek medical advice for proper evaluation and guidance.

ADHD and Memory Loss: What to Know

Written by Stephanie Langmaid

• ADHD and Memory
• What Causes Memory Loss?
• How Can You Tell if It’s ADHD or Something Else?
• ADHD and Dementia
• When to See Your Doctor

If you have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), forgetfulness is probably something you’ve dealt with your whole life. But maybe your memory problems are starting to feel different. You’re forgetting things more often. You’re losing the thread of conversations or grasping for the right word.

There are a lot of reasons for memory loss. Some of them are serious, some are easy to treat. Here are some ways to tell whether what you’re experiencing is ADHD, or something else.

When you have ADHD, memory problems tend to show up in ways like missing appointments, or forgetting where you put your phone or keys. ADHD affects two different kinds of memory:

Working memory. This is the part of your memory that allows you to turn information you learn into action, for example: remembering instructions long enough to finish a task. Studies show working memory is less effective in children and adults who have ADHD than in those who don’t.

Long-term memory. People with ADHD often don’t do well on tests of long-term memory. But scientists believe that has to do with how they process information. When you have ADHD, distractions may prevent you from taking in information, or your brain may store it in a disorganized way. Memories aren’t lost, they aren’t made in the first place.

If you’re noticing memory problems, your fears may go straight to dementia. But many other things – including normal aging – can cause memory loss. Other causes can include:

• Mental health issues, including stress, trauma, and depression
• Lack of sleep or sleep apnea
• Not enough of certain vitamins, particularly B1 and B12
• Alcohol and drug use
• Prescription and over-the-counter medications, including:
  • Antidepressants
  • Antihistamines
  • Narcotic pain killers
  • Drugs for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, incontinence, and seizures
• Menopause
• Underactive or overactive thyroid

If you can find out and treat the underlying cause, your memory may go back to normal.

More serious conditions can cause memory loss, too, including:

• Brain injury from an accident, infection, stroke, or tumor
• Illnesses that involve the brain, including epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Lyme disease, and HIV

If you have any of these conditions, talk to your doctor about your memory problems.

Memory loss can look and feel the same whether it’s a symptom of ADHD or something else. But there are some clues that can help you and your doctor figure out what’s causing it.

When did the problem start?ADHD symptoms start in childhood. If your memory loss is a new problem, it could have a different cause. Most people lose some amount of brain function as a natural part of aging, starting in your 30s and 40s. Your brain’s function shrinks even more by age 60. Your brain goes through physical changes, and brain cells have a harder time communicating. You may learn new information more slowly and have trouble with multitasking.

Dementia usually starts to appear after age 65. Symptoms tend to start slowly and gradually get worse until you’re no longer able to manage your daily life.

Has something changed? ADHD symptoms don’t get worse over time, but they can become more noticeable under certain circumstances. If you’ve just retired, losing the structure of the workday can cause old problems to crop up again, like managing your time and focusing on a task long enough to finish it. The hormone changes of menopause can highlight ADHD symptoms.

Have you recently been through a stressful situation or traumatic event? Did you hit your head in a fall? Did you start a new medication? Identifying changes in your life may point you to the reason for your memory loss.

Do you have other symptoms? If your memory loss has a physical cause, you’re likely to have other issues, too. Do you have headaches? Blurred vision? Muscle weakness or paralysis? Those could mean a problem with your brain, like an injury, blood clot, or tumor. See your doctor or get emergency care, especially if these symptoms come on suddenly.

Thyroid problems can cause low energy and weight gain. A B12 deficiency can cause balance problems.

What kind of things do you forget? With ADHD, you may not remember where your car keys are because you were distracted when you put them down. But with dementia, you may be driving somewhere you’ve been a hundred times, and suddenly get lost.

In the early stages of dementia, your working memory may be fine, but you don’t remember recent events, like a conversation you had earlier in the day.

Normal aging can make it harder for you to learn new things, so you may not recall the name of someone you just met.

More and more often, older people are going to the doctor because they think they’re developing dementia, only to find out they have ADHD. The learning disorder is believed to be underdiagnosed in adults. The standards used to identify ADHD in kids don’t apply as well to older people. And over time, some people get very good at making up for their processing problems.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the earliest stage of dementia. It shares many symptoms with ADHD, but there are some important differences.

People with ADHD and people with MCI may both have:

• Problems with so-called executive functions, like paying attention and processing information
• Forgetfulness
• Trouble with impulse control
• Sleep problems
• Depression
• Anxiety

But the conditions are also different in many ways:

• Symptoms of ADHD begin in childhood. MCI starts when you’re older.
• Symptoms of ADHD generally stay the same or become less noticeable in adulthood. MCI gets worse over time.
• People with ADHD are usually fully aware of their memory problems and can describe their symptoms and notice changes. With dementia, it’s more likely to be a caregiver who first spots the problem.
• Medications that can improve the brain function of people with MCI don’t work on ADHD. And the stimulants that help with ADHD have no effect on dementia.

There’s some evidence that people with ADHD may be more likely to develop dementia as they age, particularly the disease called Lewy body dementia. People with both disorders share some of the same brain chemistry differences. And some behaviors that are common in people with ADHD, like smoking and drinking too much alcohol, are known to put you at risk for cognitive decline.

But the jury is still out on whether people with ADHD actually get dementia any more often than people without ADHD.

Don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor if you’re concerned about your memory loss, especially if it’s gone on for some time or if it’s affecting your daily life.

They can do several kinds of tests to try to get to the bottom of it. You may get:

• Mental status tests, where you’re asked to do things like repeat a list of words, name objects, follow multistep commands and answer questions about the past
• Neurological tests
• Imaging tests like an MRI
• Blood or urine tests

Many causes of memory loss are temporary and treatable. If it turns out your memory issues are a symptom of your ADHD, there are still things you can do. Your doctor may adjust your medication or try a different one. Or you may try behavioral therapy or counseling.

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ADHD and Memory Loss: What to Know

Written by Stephanie Langmaid

• ADHD and Memory
• What Causes Memory Loss?
• How Can You Tell if It’s ADHD or Something Else?
• ADHD and Dementia
• When to See Your Doctor

If you have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), forgetfulness is probably something you’ve dealt with your whole life. But maybe your memory problems are starting to feel different. You’re forgetting things more often. You’re losing the thread of conversations or grasping for the right word.

There are a lot of reasons for memory loss. Some of them are serious, some are easy to treat. Here are some ways to tell whether what you’re experiencing is ADHD, or something else.

When you have ADHD, memory problems tend to show up in ways like missing appointments, or forgetting where you put your phone or keys. ADHD affects two different kinds of memory:

Working memory. This is the part of your memory that allows you to turn information you learn into action, for example: remembering instructions long enough to finish a task. Studies show working memory is less effective in children and adults who have ADHD than in those who don’t.

Long-term memory. People with ADHD often don’t do well on tests of long-term memory. But scientists believe that has to do with how they process information. When you have ADHD, distractions may prevent you from taking in information, or your brain may store it in a disorganized way. Memories aren’t lost, they aren’t made in the first place.

If you’re noticing memory problems, your fears may go straight to dementia. But many other things – including normal aging – can cause memory loss. Other causes can include:

• Mental health issues, including stress, trauma, and depression
• Lack of sleep or sleep apnea
• Not enough of certain vitamins, particularly B1 and B12
• Alcohol and drug use
• Prescription and over-the-counter medications, including:
  • Antidepressants
  • Antihistamines
  • Narcotic pain killers
  • Drugs for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, incontinence, and seizures
• Menopause
• Underactive or overactive thyroid

If you can find out and treat the underlying cause, your memory may go back to normal.

More serious conditions can cause memory loss, too, including:

• Brain injury from an accident, infection, stroke, or tumor
• Illnesses that involve the brain, including epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Lyme disease, and HIV

If you have any of these conditions, talk to your doctor about your memory problems.

Memory loss can look and feel the same whether it’s a symptom of ADHD or something else. But there are some clues that can help you and your doctor figure out what’s causing it.

When did the problem start?ADHD symptoms start in childhood. If your memory loss is a new problem, it could have a different cause. Most people lose some amount of brain function as a natural part of aging, starting in your 30s and 40s. Your brain’s function shrinks even more by age 60. Your brain goes through physical changes, and brain cells have a harder time communicating. You may learn new information more slowly and have trouble with multitasking.

Dementia usually starts to appear after age 65. Symptoms tend to start slowly and gradually get worse until you’re no longer able to manage your daily life.

Has something changed? ADHD symptoms don’t get worse over time, but they can become more noticeable under certain circumstances. If you’ve just retired, losing the structure of the workday can cause old problems to crop up again, like managing your time and focusing on a task long enough to finish it. The hormone changes of menopause can highlight ADHD symptoms.

Have you recently been through a stressful situation or traumatic event? Did you hit your head in a fall? Did you start a new medication? Identifying changes in your life may point you to the reason for your memory loss.

Do you have other symptoms? If your memory loss has a physical cause, you’re likely to have other issues, too. Do you have headaches? Blurred vision? Muscle weakness or paralysis? Those could mean a problem with your brain, like an injury, blood clot, or tumor. See your doctor or get emergency care, especially if these symptoms come on suddenly.

Thyroid problems can cause low energy and weight gain. A B12 deficiency can cause balance problems.

What kind of things do you forget? With ADHD, you may not remember where your car keys are because you were distracted when you put them down. But with dementia, you may be driving somewhere you’ve been a hundred times, and suddenly get lost.

In the early stages of dementia, your working memory may be fine, but you don’t remember recent events, like a conversation you had earlier in the day.

Normal aging can make it harder for you to learn new things, so you may not recall the name of someone you just met.

More and more often, older people are going to the doctor because they think they’re developing dementia, only to find out they have ADHD. The learning disorder is believed to be underdiagnosed in adults. The standards used to identify ADHD in kids don’t apply as well to older people. And over time, some people get very good at making up for their processing problems.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the earliest stage of dementia. It shares many symptoms with ADHD, but there are some important differences.

People with ADHD and people with MCI may both have:

• Problems with so-called executive functions, like paying attention and processing information
• Forgetfulness
• Trouble with impulse control
• Sleep problems
• Depression
• Anxiety

But the conditions are also different in many ways:

• Symptoms of ADHD begin in childhood. MCI starts when you’re older.
• Symptoms of ADHD generally stay the same or become less noticeable in adulthood. MCI gets worse over time.
• People with ADHD are usually fully aware of their memory problems and can describe their symptoms and notice changes. With dementia, it’s more likely to be a caregiver who first spots the problem.
• Medications that can improve the brain function of people with MCI don’t work on ADHD. And the stimulants that help with ADHD have no effect on dementia.

There’s some evidence that people with ADHD may be more likely to develop dementia as they age, particularly the disease called Lewy body dementia. People with both disorders share some of the same brain chemistry differences. And some behaviors that are common in people with ADHD, like smoking and drinking too much alcohol, are known to put you at risk for cognitive decline.

But the jury is still out on whether people with ADHD actually get dementia any more often than people without ADHD.

Don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor if you’re concerned about your memory loss, especially if it’s gone on for some time or if it’s affecting your daily life.

They can do several kinds of tests to try to get to the bottom of it. You may get:

• Mental status tests, where you’re asked to do things like repeat a list of words, name objects, follow multistep commands and answer questions about the past
• Neurological tests
• Imaging tests like an MRI
• Blood or urine tests

Many causes of memory loss are temporary and treatable. If it turns out your memory issues are a symptom of your ADHD, there are still things you can do. Your doctor may adjust your medication or try a different one. Or you may try behavioral therapy or counseling.

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Memory loss, attention disorders and poor academic performance in children

Often, parents note behavioral disorders in children associated with inattention, poor school performance, absent-mindedness. Often the cause is hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder. But let’s look at the problem in more detail.

• Let’s identify the negative factors
• We will prescribe an individual treatment program

Causes of memory loss and impaired attentionSymptoms of disordersPossible consequencesTreatment

Special offer

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Remember! Pre-registration for a treatment session and diagnostics of the spine is required.

Register in advance, the number of places for the unique promotion is LIMITED!

Causes of memory loss and impaired attention

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Such children are overly active, impulsive, they have a slight lack of coordination. It is ADHD that is put at the forefront as the main reason for the decline in memory and attention;
• Violation of blood circulation in the brain, oxygen starvation;
• Improper nutrition;
• Diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• Psychological trauma, stress;
• Birth injuries.

Symptoms of disorders

Problems with memory and attention are accompanied by the fact that the child:

• Will not be able to concentrate on details and hold attention for a long time;
• Distracted, careless, makes many mistakes;
• Constantly distracted, quits things he has started;
• Has difficulty keeping attention on some tasks, games;
• Dislikes tasks requiring mental effort and concentration;
• Often loses things, forgets about daily activities;
• Differs in talkativeness, restlessness, restless movements of arms and legs;
• Cannot play quiet games, draw, do things with his hands.

Possible consequences

As a rule, school performance suffers when memory and attention are impaired. But the child’s communication with peers is also at risk, since it is difficult for an inattentive and forgetful child to concentrate on something and generally join the team.

Against the background of the problem, psychosomatic disorders, neurosis, depression are possible. You need to solve the problem as soon as possible. Correction is easier for violations in young children.

Treatment

Our clinic has a comprehensive approach to the treatment of children. Each specialist has extensive experience working with children, so he prescribes a competent examination and the right treatment plan.

Each doctor easily finds contact with the child, so you will definitely feel comfortable with us. We will find the reasons that led to problems with attention and memory and begin a soft but effective correction.

Methods of manual influence show themselves very well: osteopathy, therapeutic massage, manual therapy. A neurologist-osteopath will work with the child, and if necessary, a psychologist. We will restore harmony in the work of the brain and nervous system, improve blood circulation, and eliminate the negative factors that led to pathologies. As a result, the body will turn on the systems of active work and proper relaxation.

Contact our clinic and we will certainly help you and your child. You will notice an improvement after 2 visits.

Physicians of our osteopathic spine clinic

Lazarev Vladimir Aleksandrovich

Neurologist, osteopath, reflexologist, manual therapist, hirudotherapist, podologist, physiotherapist

Lazareva Natalya Gennadievna

Head of the clinic
Doctor of the highest category
Leading pediatric osteopath of St. Petersburg and Russia
Neurologist

Krivosheeva Tatyana Gennadievna

Neurologist of the highest category,
Doctor of Medical Sciences
Homeopath

Lazareva Natalya Gennadievna

Head of the clinic
Doctor of the highest category
Leading pediatric osteopath of St. Petersburg and Russia
Neurologist

Krivosheeva Tatyana Gennadievna

Neurologist of the highest category,
Doctor of Medicine
Homeopath

Mesyatsev Sergey Olegovich

Osteopath, family doctor, massage therapist

Panova Elena Mikhailovna

Psychologist

Troitskaya Tatyana Evgenevna

Hirudotherapist, physiotherapist

Morozova Galina Vasilievna

Senior nurse of the highest qualification category

Alexandra Viktorovna Dudareva

Reflexologist, homeopath

Mikhailov Alexander Yurievich

All doctors of the center

How to become healthy and live without pain?

Make an appointment by phone

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Come to the initial appointment

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Complete the entire course of treatment

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Methods of treatment in the osteopathic clinic

All treatments at the Osteopathy Center

How are working memory problems related to mental disorders? – Knife

Poor spatial and auditory memory

ADHD – attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Phil seemed like an ordinary child, restless, eager to explore the world around him. He carried out experiments with interest in the company of his peers, wrote down the childishly naive results, tried to quench his constant thirst for knowledge. When it was time to go to school, the parents breathed a sigh of relief: finally, Phil would have access to what he was so actively looking for – information.

Source

However, things weren’t going well at school. The teachers complained about Phil: he constantly fidgeted in his chair, swayed, and asked non-stop questions that were far from always related to the topic being studied. The child was distracted all the time, could not concentrate, did problems and tests poorly, and made many mistakes in homework. Soon the teachers noted that he reads and counts worse than the others, but no one argued that the child is very smart. At home, Phil did not stop doing his experiments, but now his parents noticed that he rarely brought them to the end. Moreover, the boy began to complain more often about fatigue and poor sleep.

What is working memory and how it works

Anatomy of decision making: what is working memory and can it be improved

Teachers invited parents for a talk. They claimed that Phil had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The idea that their child was considered “abnormal” outraged the parents. A few months later, Phil was transferred to another school, where the situation repeated itself …

In the end, the parents listened to the advice of the teachers, because the complaints against Phil did not stop. Despite the stereotype rooted in the minds of parents that going to a psychologist is actually a recognition of “abnormality”, they nevertheless decided to take this step.

The neurologist asked the parents to carefully observe the child’s behavior, he conducted numerous interviews with Phil and his teachers, and made the boy perform various psychological tests. After 6 months of work, he diagnosed ADHD, because at least 6 symptoms of this disorder necessarily manifested themselves during the entire period of the examination.

American psychologist Violet Oaklander wrote that children like Phil “have no control over their bodies”, “are fussy and move around a lot”, “experience learning difficulties caused by insufficient ability to perceive visual, auditory, and sometimes tactile images “. ADHD is a disorder that needs to be dealt with as neglect often results in educational and social problems.

Phil soon found himself in the laboratory of Francisco Castellanos, who is studying the neurological basis of ADHD. The scientist conducted studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and with its help demonstrated that Phil and other similar children have slightly different brain anatomy: the volume of the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum is slightly smaller than in ordinary children. However, by the age of 15, the difference had leveled off. Castellanos also showed that people with lesions in these areas never develop ADHD.

Researcher Russell Barclay, observing the development of the situation, offered his interpretation of events. Since the prefrontal cortex is associated with working memory, it is possible that its violations underlie ADHD. This idea was taken up by another scientist, Larry Siedmann, who, using a working memory task (n-back task), showed that adults with ADHD had less activity in the left inferior occipital lobe and cerebellum.

The N-back task allows you to check the ability of working memory to update its contents. Participants are shown a series of letters (sounds, images, etc.). They have to say if the given stimulus is the same as N steps back. Accordingly, N can be equal to one, two, three, etc. The larger N, the more difficult the task.

Working memory model by Alan Baddeley. Source

During his research, Phil grew up and became involved in scientific research himself. He became interested in the idea of ​​problems with working memory and studied the model of working memory proposed by Alan Baddeley.

Because children with ADHD performed poorly on the auditory-spatial memory task, the researchers concluded that ADHD was caused by problems in the development of the phonological loop, a component responsible for processing verbal and object information.

Further digging into working memory problems in ADHD has revealed that the disorder may be associated with impaired metabolism of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the frontal cortex and cerebellar problems. And this meant that if you somehow influence them, then you can save a person from this syndrome.

Phil was surprised to find out. He already knew that working memory depends primarily on the activity of the fronto-parietal network . However, as he delved deeper into ADHD research, he became convinced that the cerebellum, long considered the only motor center of our body, also plays a significant role in working memory. Although scientists usually did not pay due attention to this part of the brain.

So, thanks in part to the study of ADHD patients, scientists have discovered another area involved in working memory, the cerebellum. At the same time, by studying working memory, they were able to discover possible mechanisms for the development of ADHD – problems of the phonological loop.

By the way, Phil is free from ADHD. Gradually, it became easier for him to concentrate, communicate and learn.

Doctors learned that Phil, based on scientific data, used other pedagogical formats for teaching – mainly auditory and motor, which allowed not only to train the phonological loop, but also to spend body energy. At the same time, he used various exercises for the development of working memory and attention .

Phil also worked for a while with psychologist Violet Oaklander. In class, she used calming activities that relieved psychological stress: working with clay, sand, water, finger painting with paints. In her practice, Oaklander also used work with wood (construction, modeling) – this helped children activate kinesthetics. Of course, all this time, Phil took a number of drugs that allowed him to control the activity of neurotransmitters in the brain.

As a result, liberation from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was the result of both psychotherapeutic and medicinal influences. But what played a greater role, Phil does not know.

Learning Disorders

Phil now works at a school teaching children with special needs. And at the same time, he studies them, trying to identify problems in working memory and their relationship with the ability to learn. More and more parents come to Phil who complain about the school results of their children. Surprisingly, as a rule, these results are not associated with ADHD, and intelligence tests say that children are smart and capable of a lot.

Source

Phil suggested that these children have learning disabilities. They are almost no different from their peers, but it is much more difficult for them to read, count and write. After studying the literature, Phil learned about the existence of 4 such disorders:

Because of these problems, children learn worse and slower. The successes that they theoretically could achieve, in practice, turn out to be much more modest than expected.

These children score moderate to high on intelligence tests, but have difficulty with correct pronunciation, speed reading, spelling, and counting.

Phil met the famous researcher Lee Swanson, who devoted himself to the study of working memory disorders. Swenson suggested that reading, writing, and counting all depend on working memory. It is logical that the phonological loop also serves as the core of the development of such disorders, because all these problems are associated with symbols and words.

Both reading and writing require a person to keep meaning in the active memory zone, extract word meanings from long-term storage, and integrate them with the information received. All this happens in working memory.

Based on this assumption, Swenson developed a range of working memory tests that can be used to diagnose current or future learning problems. One of the tasks often used by scientists is filling in the gaps in the text. Its implementation requires both understanding the text and presenting its semantic picture, as well as searching for the right word and coding it into a series of small motor actions carried out when writing.

Phil later met with Wayne Lazar and Frank Yatchik, who demonstrated that learning disorders can be associated with the frontal cortex, the left parietal cortex, and the area of ​​the brain that links the two hemispheres, the corpus callosum.

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The left hemisphere of the brain is most often activated when performing verbal communication tests, so the idea of ​​the influence of problems in the development of the phonological loop has become widespread. Swenson suggested that children who find it difficult to read may not speak the text to themselves, because of which they have impaired short-term memory. And here we need to remember about speed reading, within the framework of which it is pronunciation to oneself that is considered the main reason for the slow pace of reading.

Fila wondered why people with problems in the verbal component of working memory do not have problems with intelligence. Swenson suggested that perhaps such patients use different compensatory strategies, such as relying on visual memory instead of auditory memory when learning.

Subsequent experiments showed Phil that not only the phonological loop is the cause of all the troubles of his students. In fact, students with learning disabilities also had problems with another component of working memory, the visual-spatial notebook. They performed poorly on visual memory tests if they had problems with numeracy, and vice versa.

Phil found a graph that clearly shows that children with reading or numeracy problems perform worse on verbal memory tasks, and if both disorders appear together, then verbal working memory worsens even more. At the same time, visual working memory proper only affects counting skills and the situation when both impairments are present.

Source: Cognitive Risk Factors for Specific Learning Disorder: Processing Speed, Temporal Processing, and Working Memory, PubMed (nih.gov)

Phil delved into the study of the visual-spatial component and found that it can be impaired in children with another symptom – developmental coordination disorder (~ 6% of the population). Alex, a boy from Phil’s class with such a disorder, is very clumsy. His drawings look strange because he has difficulty drawing details. He has poor control over his body and his postures, which makes it difficult to communicate with him. In gym class, Alex often becomes the object of ridicule because he can’t even throw and catch a ball.

In addition, Alex has bad posture, and sometimes he can’t figure out which hand to use to solve a particular problem.

Longitudinal (long-term) studies of such children for 3 years have shown that they subsequently develop problems with reading and understanding speech. Therefore, it is important to notice a developing disorder in time and develop an individual child education program. Tracey Alloway has shown that children with these problems find it difficult to solve problems where it is necessary to determine the size of an object, its position in space, or the distance to an object.

From a neurological point of view, the coordination disorder may be due to the immaturity of the motor part of the neocortex, which is responsible for transmitting motor commands to the body. Unfortunately, this underdevelopment of the cortex often persists into adulthood, leading to social and emotional problems.

Apparently, the underdevelopment of the visual-spatial notebook gradually covers the entire working memory, affecting the phonological loop as well, which causes problems with reading.

Phil realized that the association of impairments in working memory components with learning disorders can be used to detect the latter in a timely manner. He began to use a special battery of tests for working memory (Working memory test battery for children) to diagnose disorders and develop special training programs.

Such programs include special exercises aimed at training motor skills and attention. In addition, since there are few treatment options today, Phil suggested physical therapy, the main idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwhich is that the more you move, the more you learn to do it right. He tried to create a favorable and comfortable environment in his classes, because one of the problems of such children is low self-esteem, which is formed partly due to the ridicule of peers. Phil encourages children to be resourceful: for example, if they can’t write something down, he suggests using other means of memory – a voice recorder, a whiteboard, etc.

The example of Phil and his students shows that poor working memory can be a risk factor in the development of learning disorders. And this means that it can be used to screen such children in order to develop special training programs for them in time to help compensate for cognitive deficiencies.

Information Processing Disorders

Depression and Ruminations

Franz, Ernst, and Edgar are three talents who, in adulthood, faced a serious disorder that robs working memory of resources. They suffered from sudden mood swings, felt oppressive loneliness, and sometimes could not force themselves to do anything, even eat. Psychiatrists labeled all the symptoms with a simple but meaningful name – major depressive disorder.

Source

Three young people, as well as persons with similar diagnoses, were asked to undergo a study by scientists. The goal was to understand how their disease affects working memory. To do this, we used the “n-back-task” technique described above.

It turned out that in patients with depression, the activity of the prefrontal cortex was significantly higher than in ordinary subjects .

However, this did not affect the results of the task. Additionally, patients showed strong activity in the anterior cingulate gyrus.

Fronto-parietal network and cingulate gyrus. Source

The prefrontal cortex is the hub of many cognitive functions, it plays an important role in organizing the communication of cerebral cortex neurons with the ancient limbic structures of the brain that we traditionally associate with emotions. It is this area of ​​the brain that is identified with the central processing unit of working memory, which was identified by Alan Baddeley. Disruptions in the work of the central processor can lead to pathological changes in this area (decrease in neurons and their connections with each other), and cause problems of emotional control.

What is the reason for the increased activity in this area? Apparently, this is an attempt by the brain to compensate for emotional influences, to slow down unnecessary thoughts so that working memory manifests itself at full capacity. Moreover, hyperactivation may be a brain strategy to compensate for the decrease in neuronal size that occurs with depression. Similar observations were later confirmed in metastudies.

Three of our heroes – Edgar, Ernst and Franz – also hyperactivated some other zones (for example, the right temporal gyrus). However, a number of areas with reduced activity (insular cortex) were also observed. Moreover, it has been shown that the degree of hyperactivation correlates with the level of complexity of the task being solved.

Perhaps, as Joseph Callicot suggested, this is a kind of signal of neural inefficiency: the brain is not able to control its hypernetwork, which is why different areas of the brain are turned on to perform the same task, the activity of which can overlap – contribute to each other or interfere.

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The specific pattern of brain activity distribution in depressive disorder serves as a way to diagnose it. It is logical to assume that if you normalize brain activity in certain areas, then you can reduce the symptoms of depression. Such inhibition is carried out with the help of medications and transcranial electrical stimulation, in which a weak electrical current is supplied to the desired area of ​​the brain. It changes the ability of neurons to excite (their activation threshold).

Bipolar Personality Disorder

Source

Vincent and Avraham decided to participate in a working memory study because at times they felt like they couldn’t remember anything. In this study, they met Frank, Ernst and Edgar, who had a depressive disorder combined with a bipolar disorder.

All of them from time to time experienced an oppressive feeling of the futility of being, which was replaced by manic hyperactivity, a feeling of endless internal energy and an unbridled desire to move.

The scientists asked them to test their working memory with the Ray Complex Figure task. Participants are shown a drawing of a large number of details. You need to remember it, and after a while draw it from memory.

Source

It turned out that participants perform worse on a memory task, which, in fact, involves all components of working memory. Also, low results were demonstrated when performing verbal and visual tests. At the same time, increased activity was observed in the prefrontal region, temporal cortex, and posterior parietal cortex. Scientists have suggested that this is an artifact of the brain. Perhaps these results indicate that these patients generally remember differently, using different strategies. All this points to disturbances in the work of the central processor, which controls selective attention.

What if everything goes wrong all at once?

OCD – obsessive-compulsive disorder

Source

Doctors diagnosed Nikola with OCD, obsessive-compulsive disorder. A talented person is afraid of germs, constantly washes his hands and avoids round objects. Such strange behavior occurs because a person is seized by an obsessive thought (obsession) that causes an obsessive action (compulsion): “A microbe from this fork can provoke a terrible disease, you need to urgently wipe everything with an alcohol wipe.” For some, ritual actions are an obsessive check of something (“Did I close the door?”), For some, it is a constant cleaning of oneself and surrounding objects.

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Compulsion, addiction, or impulse control problems: Do you have an obsessive-compulsive disorder

Since some thought is constantly swirling around in your head and causing compulsions, it is possible that such a condition manifests itself in the form of hyperactivation of the working memory network. At the same time, a certain signal (pattern) is repeated in the head – “an obsessive thought is spinning”. Scientists observe activity in different areas of the brain depending on the nature of the compulsive actions.

Researchers found problems with cognitive function, inhibition, in Nikolai. Studies have shown that patients with “check” rituals showed lower results on the Stroop test (inhibition task) and GO / NO-GO tasks than patients with “cleansing” rituals.

Visual-spatial working memory is more often impaired in OCD. However, a number of scientists suggest that the violations are not specific, but show working memory problems in general and depend on the complexity of the task. It is possible to diagnose OCD by testing working memory not only in patients, but also in immediate family members, since this disorder is believed to be genetic in nature.

Knowing that the central processing unit of working memory suffers in such patients, try to guess which area of ​​the brain will show altered activity? That’s right – prefrontal.

We already know that working memory tests can identify areas of the brain with impaired activity. Patients with OCD and their relatives show increased activity in the fronto-parietal network, and this may support the idea that OCD is associated with all components of working memory, including the episodic buffer that links current information with knowledge from long-term memory.

Perhaps this activity is related to the need to retain irrelevant thoughts that come into working memory in part precisely because of the influence of memories stored in long-term memory. And in this case, as with other disorders, there is drug therapy that allows you to slow down the brain, as well as behavioral therapy based on training the brain and working memory (cognitive training), which allows you to better control thoughts.

Conclusion

The connection of all the above disorders with working memory allows you to diagnose problems in time and monitor their impact on a person. Working memory is thus at the center of personality psychology. It is obvious that with its help it is possible to understand the causes of the development of the described disorders and, more importantly, to suggest timely strategies for memory training, drug or stimulation treatment, and prevention.

However, what is really behind the altered brain activity is a mystery that has yet to be unraveled.