Working memory is the ability to keep relevant information “in mind” when performing a task. It is a combination of the essential cognitive functions of speech, reasoning and goal-directed prospective behavior. Working memory is a necessary condition for prospective action, regardless of whether the to-be-performed action is motor, speech or a mental operation. Working memory problems are consistently seen in persons with lateral prefrontal damage/dysregulation; it appears to be distributed throughout the lateral prefrontal cortex, and due to its characterization as sustained attention to internal stimuli, it is subject to interference and distractability. People with cortical damage may still perform well on some working memory tests. Accurate testing requires a test that introduces interference and distraction.
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