What is Working Memory and How Can You Improve it?

Many mental health supplements claim to boost working memory. But more specifically, what is working memory and how can you improve it?

For most people, when we take nootropic pills or smart drugs for memory function, we are looking to improve what is known as “working memory capacity” – the name given to the intellectual power of the brain.

It is also often referred to as fluid intelligence or short-term memory. If the brain were a computer, this would be akin to RAM which is used for the second-by-second processing of the Central Processing Unit.

It’s the mechanism by which we hold onto various bits of information all at once. Then, we are able to make larger connections between this information, and store it alongside other similar memories.

During any given day, it is essential to be able to actively hold onto facts, images, environmental input, and other memories which have been retrieved from the past. We are then able to use all of this information to solve problems and make plans for further action.

Theories about how we achieve this are all classified under the heading of working memory. It is also commonly linked to attention span and the ability to focus. Here is what we know so far about how working memory functions in the brain, and how to improve its effectiveness through nootropic supplementation.

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History of Working Memory Theory

The first ideas about this kind of memory came about in the late 60s.

Researchers compared memory functions in the brain to the methods that computers use to store and retrieve information.

This model proved useful in describing how human intelligence works.

Before this time, short term memory was looked at as the act of recalling information that had been very recently acquired.

New theories, proposed by the research team of Atkinson and Shifrin, suggested that the mind actively manipulated the small bits of information and didn’t simply recall them.

How Working Memory Functions

The main model for working memory involves what’s known as a “central executive” system sitting at the top of a hierarchy of memory functions. As the name implies, this system has a managerial role over other smaller systems, known as “slave systems.”

The central executive brings together all relevant pieces of information, determines where attention should go, and coordinates the functions of the slave systems. The slaves maintain and hold the small pieces of information that are assembled.

One of these slaves is known as a phonological loop, a system which manages information into sounds. These sounds might include one’s inner voice reciting a fact, thought, or number.

Another slave system is the “visuo-spatial sketchpad.” This system holds information in the form of images, either literal or representative.

There are also temporary holding systems known as episodic buffers. These areas hold all types of material, including music, for short periods of time.

Limits to Working Memory Capacity

Working memory can be limited by a total capacity of seven elements at any given time. This applies to digits, words, or images, and suggests that we can never hold more than this amount of factors at once. What causes this limit?

The efficiency of the central executive system may be limited by the chemical complexion of the brain. The physical architecture of the brain, such as neurons, neurites, and synapses, relies on healthy amounts of both excitatory and inhibitory chemicals to deliver messages along these pathways.

Some theories posit that chemical imbalances speed the loss of memory function. Working memory also does seem to decline as we age. This is where taking supplements for memory can be of great value.

How Neurotransmitters Affect Memory

Neurotransmitters are the body’s natural mechanism for communicating information and triggering reactions in the brain. These chemicals travel across synapses to deliver their messages.

In some cases, such as with the key neurotransmitter acetylcholine, these chemicals can actually spur the growth of new synapses and neurons. Acetylcholine directly communicates across different sections of the brain, from the basal forebrain to the hippocampus.

Other neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, create the mental energy required for attention span and the ability to resist distraction. Healthy levels of all of these compounds are required to fuel and manage the working memory systems described above.

Deficiencies in various neurochemicals relating to memory have been linked to attention disorders like ADHD, and degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. For this reason, we now look to nootropic supplementation as a crucial part of maintaining proper memory function throughout life.

Improve Working Memory with Supplements

There are many supplements you can take to enhance working memory. These compounds generally work by amplifying the action of neurochemicals which are already present in the brain.

They also can correct imbalances or deficiencies in various essential neurotransmitters. Many of these supplements have a direct effect upon the action of acetylcholine.

Piracetam is widely thought of as the best nootropic supplement. It improves brain communication by boosting the efficacy of ACh transmitters, the gateway of acetylcholine’s effects. When combined with choline supplements like CDP Choline or Alpha GPC, Piracetam can improve mental focus and sharpen spatial memory.

Caffeine – a widely consumed compound found in coffee and tea, is famous for its mental focusing power. This is another way of describing the central executive system described above. When paired with L-Theanine, caffeine’s jittery side effects are successfully mitigated, making both a viable working memory booster. L-Theanine also helps improve visual memory processing while eliminating distracting thoughts.

One of the oldest known natural supplements for working memory is Ginkgo Biloba. This ancient Asian tree is known to improve blood circulation in the brain via flavonoids, supplying the oxygen and nutrients which are required for all memory function. Ginkgo helps improve attention span and improve the ability to memorize facts.

Ginkgo is sometimes paired with or replaced by Bacopa Monnieri, a marshland vine which provides powerful cognitive enhancements. The easiest way to take Bacopa is through the popular Alpha Brain combo stack, which pairs the vine with various other memory enhancing nootropics.

Improving Working Memory – Review

The key to maintaining and enhancing working memory, fluid intelligence and mental function is by looking at it as an active process.

We don’t just need to hold information in our minds for short periods of time, we also need to be able to manipulate that information. That can include performing calculations, reasoning to a conclusion, making connections and associations as well as determining relationships between varied pieces of information.

By comparing facts and sharing our conclusions among the various areas of our brains, we are able to effectively make decisions, arrive at plans, and solve problems. This entire process depends on the healthy brain chemistry which can be achieved through intelligent supplementation.

Simply relying upon food sources is often not enough to shield your brain from the damage and decay it will endure over a lifetime. The entire nootropic movement is based upon this type of active participation in promoting brain health and working memory capacity.

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