工作记忆（英语：Working memory）是一种记忆容量有限的认知系统，被用以暂时保存资讯。[1]工作记忆对于推理以及指导决策和行为有重要影响。[2][3] 工作记忆通常与短期记忆同义使用，但一些理论家认为两种形式的记忆是不同的，假设工作记忆允许对存储的资讯进行操作，而短期记忆仅指资讯的短期存储。[2][4]工作记忆是认知心理学、神经心理学和神经科学的核心理论概念。
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工作记忆是记忆的一部分。它会在短时间内存储记录的资讯，以便将此资讯包含在长期记忆中或与之进行比较。这个术语和理解是由Alan Baddeley于1968年提出的。
工作记忆由三个子结构组成：语音循环、视觉空间写生板和中央执行系统[5]（参见巴德利工作记忆模型）。
然而，记忆容量被限制在大约七个资讯单位/分块（参见米勒数）。
Miyake, A.; Shah, P. (编). Models of working memory. Mechanisms of active maintenance and executive control. Cambridge University Press. 1999. ISBN 0-521-58325-X. Diamond A. Executive functions. Annu Rev Psychol. 2013, 64: 135–168. PMC 4084861 
. PMID 23020641. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-113011-143750. WM (holding information in mind and manipulating it) is distinct from short-term memory (just holding information in mind). They cluster onto separate factors in factor analyses of children, adolescents, and adults (Alloway et al. 2004, Gathercole et al. 2004). They are linked to different neural subsystems. WM relies more on dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, whereas maintaining information in mind but not manipulating it [as long as the number of items is not huge (suprathreshold)] does not need involvement of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (D’Esposito et al. 1999, Eldreth et al. 2006, Smith & Jonides 1999). Imaging studies show frontal activation only in ventrolateral prefrontal cortex for memory maintenance that is not suprathreshold.
WM and short-term memory also show different developmental progressions; the latter develops earlier and faster.
Malenka RC, Nestler EJ, Hyman SE. Chapter 13: Higher Cognitive Function and Behavioral Control. Sydor A, Brown RY (编). Molecular Neuropharmacology: A Foundation for Clinical Neuroscience 2nd. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical. 2009: 313–321. ISBN 978-0-07-148127-4. · Executive function, the cognitive control of behavior, depends on the prefrontal cortex, which is highly developed in higher primates and especially humans.
· Working memory is a short-term, capacity-limited cognitive buffer that stores information and permits its manipulation to guide decision-making and behavior. ...
working memory may be impaired in ADHD, the most common childhood psychiatric disorder seen in clinical settings ... ADHD can be conceptualized as a disorder of executive function; specifically, ADHD is characterized by reduced ability to exert and maintain cognitive control of behavior. Compared with healthy individuals, those with ADHD have diminished ability to suppress inappropriate prepotent responses to stimuli (impaired response inhibition) and diminished ability to inhibit responses to irrelevant stimuli (impaired interference suppression). ... Early results with structural MRI show thinning of the cerebral cortex in ADHD subjects compared with age-matched controls in prefrontal cortex and posterior parietal cortex, areas involved in working memory and attention.
