Short-term memory, also known as working memory, is a type of memory that temporarily stores information during cognitive tasks such as comprehension, problem-solving, reasoning, and learning. A recent study involving 179 graduate students at the University of Texas Arlington observed that individuals whose pupils dilated more while performing memory tasks tended to have better working memory.
In a low-light environment the pupils naturally widen or dilate to allow more light into the eyes. Participants in the study had their pupils continuously measured using an eye-tracker, like what an optometrists uses during eye exams, while doing the tasks that they were given. However, in this study, researchers reported that a person's pupils dilated when they were concentrating on memory tasks. They found that the lowest performers showed less pupil dilation. Additionally, they found that the more a participant's eyes dilated during the tasks, the better they performed on tests measuring their working memory. Tracking the links between an individual's common cognitive mechanisms and pupil size could be a beneficial analysis method. It is a noninvasive way to measure brain state while using working memmory.
The study suggests that pupil size could be a potential biomarker for investigating and influencing memory processing. This adds a valuable piece to the puzzle of understanding why working memory varies between individuals.
Source:
www.neurosciencenews.com
www.scientificamerican.com
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