Working memory is believed to be a core cognitive function on which many types of high-level cognition rely,including language comprehension and production, problem solving, and decision making,” A brain-training task that increases the number of items an individual can remember over a short period of time may boost performance in other problem-solving tasks by enhancing communication between different brain areas. A study that was presented recently in San Francisco is one of a growing number of experiments on how working-memory training can measurably improve a range of skills — from multiplying in your head to reading a complex paragraph.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130415172423.htm