Computational Model Reveals How the Brain Manages Short-Term Memories
December 17, 2020
Summary: A new computational algorithm shows how the brain maintains information in the short term using specific types of neurons.
Source: Salk Institute
If you’ve ever forgotten something mere seconds after it was at the forefront of your mind–the name of a dish you were about to order at a restaurant, for instance–then you know how important working memory is. This type of short-term recall is how people retain information for a matter of seconds or minutes to solve a problem or carry out a task, like the next step in a series of instructions. But, although it’s critical in our day-to-day lives, exactly how the brain manages working memory has been a mystery.