where does working memory occur in the brain
Working memory
Alcohol abuse can result in brain damage which impairs working memory . Alcohol has an effect on the blood - oxygen - level - dependent ( BOLD ) response . The BOLD response correlates increased blood oxygenation with brain activity , which makes this response a useful tool for measuring neuronal activity . The BOLD response affects regions of the brain such as the basal ganglia and thalamus when performing a working memory task . Adolescents who start drinking at a young age show a decreased BOLD response in these brain regions . Alcohol dependent young women in particular exhibit less of a BOLD response in parietal and frontal cortices when performing a spatial working memory task . Binge drinking , specifically , can also affect one 's performance on working memory tasks , particularly visual working memory . Additionally , there seems to be a gender difference in regards to how alcohol affects working memory . While women perform better on verbal working memory tasks after consuming alcohol compared to men , they appear to perform worse on spatial working memory tasks as indicated by less brain activity . Finally , age seems to be an additional factor . Older adults are more susceptible than others to the effects of alcohol on working memory .
Alcohol abuse can result in brain damage which impairs working memory . Alcohol has an effect on the blood - oxygen - level - dependent ( BOLD ) response . The BOLD response correlates increased blood oxygenation with brain activity , which makes this response a useful tool for measuring neuronal activity . The BOLD response affects regions of the brain such as the basal ganglia and thalamus when performing a working memory task . Adolescents who start drinking at a young age show a decreased BOLD response in these brain regions . Alcohol dependent young women in particular exhibit less of a BOLD response in parietal and frontal cortices when performing a spatial working memory task . Binge drinking , specifically , can also affect one 's performance on working memory tasks , particularly visual working memory . Additionally , there seems to be a gender difference in regards to how alcohol affects working memory . While women perform better on verbal working memory tasks after consuming alcohol compared to men , they appear to perform worse on spatial working memory tasks as indicated by less brain activity . Finally , age seems to be an additional factor . Older adults are more susceptible than others to the effects of alcohol on working memory .