Making Your Working Memory Work for You
by Ari Tuckman, PsyD., MBA

Even though we often talk of memory as if there was only one kind, we actually have many different kinds of memory. People with ADHD sometimes complain of having bad memories (and their family members probably complain more!). This is somewhat true, but not completely. Their long term memory is fine--this is information like, "Columbus discovered America in 1492" or "my third grade teacher was Mrs. Phillips". Although ADHD folks may get distracted at times when trying to remember this information, their memories actually work well.

Where they run into trouble is in getting information into that long term memory-if something never gets into long term memory, then there is nothing there to remember, so it isn't really a memory problem at that point. Where things break down is in the working memory which is the part of memory that holds information in the moment as it is being processed. We use working memory whenever we do anything that involves integrating two or more pieces of information. For example:

• Integrating two or more things that happen close together in time, such as tracking the things that are said in a conversation or following events in an article or book.
• Connecting a new piece of information with something from long-term memory, such as considering how a new task will fit into an existing schedule.
• Holding some pieces of information while simultaneously paying attention to others, like when we keep in mind that we need to change the laundry while we stop to answer a child's question.

We use working memory constantly and in almost every aspect of daily life. If a person's working memory tends to blink and drop pieces of information, all sorts of problems occur, as an ADHD person knows far too well. So, even if the rest of your brain works great and you are absolutely brilliant, a weak working memory will limit your ability to perform to your potential (something else most ADHD folks will know too well). To use a computer analogy, long term memory is like the hard drive and working memory is like the RAM. So ADHD folks' hard drives work well, but their RAM is kind of glitchy. Just like when you try to do too many things at once on your computer and some processes get unexpectedly dropped, ADHD people are prone to working memory dumps where something important gets pushed out by something else. For example, while walking back to your desk to get some information for your boss, your cell phone rings and your attention goes to that, so your boss's request gets pushed out the back. If you're lucky, some of that got recorded into your long term memory, so you may remember it later, especially if reminded by something else. So you get back to your desk and see the paperwork that your boss wanted and suddenly remember her request. Other times the memory is completely gone, so even a lie detector wouldn't pick anything up when your boss asks why you didn't get her the information. (What information? You didn't ask for any information.) Lots of ADHD people feel like other people enjoy making things up, since they have no memory of things that others swear happened. (This makes for all sorts of fun arguments.)

If you know that your working memory is kind of blinky, then don't ask it to do more than it can. Here are some strategies to help your working memory work at its best:

• Minimize distractions. The less that is going on around you, the fewer intrusions that the important information needs to compete with.
• Write things down. Rather than keeping everything in your head, put some of it down on paper or on the computer. That way you don't need to remember as many things at once as you think about a particular situation. For example, if considering a big purchase, scribble out your upcoming expenses to make it less likely that you will forget something.
• Make passive tasks more active. When listening to someone, practice active listening, such as by paraphrasing back what she said. When reading, pause occasionally to think about how the current paragraph relates back to earlier paragraphs.
• Take your medication. If you have a prescription, use it. Among other things, ADHD medication increases your working memory.

Research Abstracts

Kieling, C. et al. (2006). Association between DRD4 gene and performance of children with ADHD in a test of sustained attention. Biological Psychiatry, 60, 1163-1165.

Neuropsychological tests such as a continuous performance test, may be useful to identify underlying cognitive deficits in children with ADHD. A recent study by Kieling, C. et al.(2006) found an association between the DRD4 gene and performance of children with ADHD in a test of sustained attention. Ninety clinically referred children and adolescents with ADHD completed a CPT task in which they were required to respond to one of 9 possible stimuli. The presence of 7-repeat allele was related to more errors of commission (inhibition errors). Homozygosity of the 4-repeat allele was associated with fewer errors on the task.

Schwebel, D.C., Hodgens, J.B., & Sterling, S. (2006). How mothers parent their children with behavior disorders: Implications for unintentional injury risk. Journal of Safety Research, 37, 167-173.

ADHD and other behavior disorders such as oppositional defiant behavior (ODD) have been associated with increased risk for unintentional injury in children. Some researchers have hypothesized that this increased risk of injury may be due to higher levels of impulsivity and risk-taking behavior in this group of children. However, poor parental supervision may also play a significant role according to a recent study published in the Journal of Safety Research.

Twenty-nine children consecutively referred to a behavior disorders clinic and their mothers were covertly observed in a room containing 10 objects that appeared dangerous, but had been altered to be safe (i.e., coffee pot with indicator light "on" but filled with room temperature cola). Of this sample, 48% had a diagnosis of ADHD and 31% had a diagnosis of ODD.

The hazardous behavior of the children was significantly correlated with maternal ignoring of hazardous behavior, as well as with symptoms of ODD. Mothers who were noted to ignore hazardous behavior also reported higher rates of injury history in their children and had a self-reported nonrestrictive parenting style.

In this sample, injury history was not correlated with ADHD or ODD symptoms. The authors recommended that future studies consider the role of poor parental supervision in the increased risk of injury observed in children with behavior disorders.

Below are some interesting articles on ADHD and related topics:

• Children's FDA OKs Concerta for Adults with ADHD
• Additives, Allergies and ADHD: Is There A Connection?
• When your spouse is HYPERACTIVE
• Nondrug treatments may help hyper kids

Visit myADHD.com and use the follow tools this month to help children with ADHD establish household routines and to promote responsibility:

• My Daily Jobs
• My Morning Jobs List
• My Bedtime Jobs List
• Using a Home Token Economy Worksheet