Memory

When I see an adult, especially mid-40s and beyond, with fogginess and memory issues, I would look at levels of frontal alpha and look at alpha frequency distribution.  If the alpha levels in the front are relatively high–as high or higher than theta levels–then I would train them down.  If the slow alpha to fast alpha ratio is high, indicating a generalized slowing, then I would train up, say, 10-15 Hz and train down 3-5 and 8-10 Hz. 

Working Memory

Working memory is usually left prefrontal.  Looking in the F3, PF1 and F7 would give an idea of whether there is excessive slow or alpha activity there–or perhaps even excessive very fast activity.  Try doing slow-wave reduction in that area.  Don’t set any reward frequency.  Just inhibit.

Often, though, when we do an assessment of a person who has memory problems, we’ll find excellent working memory.  If you aren’t actually present when you arrive in the classroom–that is, when the teacher is asking for homework to be passed in, you are lost somewhere inside your head and don’t hear it or recognize it as relating to you, you will “forget” to turn in your homework.

People with dominant slow activity in the brain’s activation pattern essentially live in an internal universe.  They make representations of the outside world and bring them into their heads and interact with them there.  Dominant slow processors (which does not mean that they THINK slowly), have a difficult time staying in contact with an outer reality, and they have a hard time processing language for detail and doing things in steps or sequences.

T3/Fp1 would link the narrative memory center to working memory,

Short-Term Memory

Short-term memory is a tricky one.  Many people who simply can’t keep their attention outside themselves appear to have memory problems, but the real problem is that the information never really gets IN to be remembered in the first place.  There can certainly be issues in the left prefrontal or the right parietal areas, where working memory tends to be handled, as well.

Presence vs. Memory

There is a very common confusion between problems of memory and problems of presence.