Add BrightSurf on Google Email

How touch and emotion combine to shape our memories and relationships

A new paper in Neuroscience & Biobehavioural Review proposes a comprehensive neurobiological model of affective tactile memory, suggesting that emotionally meaningful touch is stored in the brain in powerful and lasting ways. This research opens a new window into how early and everyday tactile experiences influence our emotional lives.

SourceQueen Mary University of London·JournalNeuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews·DateApr 23, 2026

Astrocytes are superstars in the game of long-term memory

A new study reveals that astrocytes, a type of glial cell, are responsible for stabilizing memories through repeated engagement. The researchers found that Fos activity in astrocytes only occurs during recall, and that these cells can be activated to produce stable memories.

SourceRIKEN·JournalNature·DateOct 15, 2025

How sleep keeps our memories fresh

Researchers at ISTA discovered that neural activity patterns during sleep reflect recently learned spatial memories and transform into those seen later upon awakening. This 'representational drift' phenomenon optimizes memory representations for long-term storage, allowing the brain to free up resources for new memories.

SourceInstitute of Science and Technology Austria·JournalNeuron·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 24, 2025

Secret of effective learning: Retrieving information in different ways

Researchers suggest that learning different facets of information in each session and retrieving information from memory in various ways can lead to better memory retention. This method involves creating multiple paths to memorized information, which can be used to retrieve the information more effectively.

SourceSWPS University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 23, 2025

Scientists show how sleep deprived brain permits intrusive thoughts

A new study reveals that sleep deprivation can inhibit the brain's ability to suppress unwanted memories and intrusive thoughts. Researchers found that well-rested individuals showed more activation in a specific brain region when attempting to suppress memories, while sleep-deprived individuals struggled with this task.

SourceUniversity of York·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 8, 2025

Stress makes mice’s memories less specific

Researchers found that acute stress prevents mice from forming specific memories, instead forming generalized memories encoded by larger numbers of neurons. Stress disrupts engram ensembles in the lateral amygdala, leading to a loss of memory specificity.

SourceCell Press·JournalCell·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 15, 2024

Brain stars hold our memories

A study published in Nature reveals that astrocytes, star-shaped brain cells, play a crucial role in storing and retrieving memories. Researchers found that these non-neuronal cell types work closely with groups of neurons called engrams to regulate the formation and recall of memories.

SourceBaylor College of Medicine·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 6, 2024

Mount Sinai researchers have uncovered the mechanism in the brain that constantly refreshes memory

Mount Sinai researchers discovered a neural mechanism for memory integration that involves replaying experiences, integrating new information with existing memories, and linking memories across time. This finding has implications for understanding adaptive and maladaptive memory processes, such as PTSD.

SourceThe Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 6, 2024

Asking a person to talk about their parents in therapy can distort memories of childhood emotions

A recent study suggests that asking people to reflect on their relationships with family during therapy can shift their emotions and memories towards a parent, even when the question isn't suggestive. The lead author emphasizes the importance of being aware of this phenomenon to ensure accurate childhood memories.

SourceUniversity of Portsmouth·JournalPsychological Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 11, 2024

People infer the past better than the future, study finds

A Dartmouth-led study found that people are more skilled at inferring past events from conversations than predicting future events. This phenomenon is attributed to the asymmetrical nature of human knowledge about their own lives and experiences, which influences how people converse.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalNature Communications·TypeObservational study·DateOct 2, 2024

Study indicates delayed feedback enhances learning performance in individuals with traumatic brain injury

A novel study found that delayed feedback improves learning outcomes for individuals with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury. Delayed feedback may engage brain regions associated with memory retrieval and confidence, bypassing impaired pathways. The study suggests a valuable tool for improving learning in TBI individuals.

SourceKessler Foundation·JournalJournal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateSep 10, 2024

Memory problems in old age linked to a key enzyme, study in mice finds

A team of researchers from Penn State has identified HDAC3 as a key contributor to age-related impairments in memory updating. When blocked, older mice performed similarly to their younger counterparts, suggesting potential therapeutic targets for improving cognitive flexibility in old age.

SourcePenn State·JournalFrontiers in Molecular Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 9, 2024

Cuttlefish can form false memories, too

Researchers found that cuttlefish can create false memories by mentally reconstructing events from different features, but not scents. This suggests an efficient memory strategy where smaller building blocks are stored and reconstructed, reducing memory costs.

SourceCell Press·JournaliScience·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 17, 2024

How does oxygen depletion disrupt memory formation in the brain?

Scientists at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology identify a positive glutamate-NO-glutamate feedback loop that blocks long-term potentiation and impairs learning and memory. The study suggests that this loop may explain memory loss in stroke patients and potentially offer a solution for treatment.

Unlocking consciousness: a new frontier in neuroscientific fusion

The study suggests that memory plays a pivotal role in shaping consciousness, contrasting the idea that computer-based Information Theory provides a sufficient framework for understanding neural memory. The researchers propose a novel perspective that memory underpins consciousness, introducing the concept of a "brain cloud" to illustr...

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalInternational Journal of Psychiatry Research·TypeMeta-analysis·DateMay 8, 2024

Eye-opener: Pupils enlarge when people focus on tasks

A recent study published in Attention, Perception & Psychophysics found a correlation between pupil dilation and working memory. Researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington discovered that individuals with better working memory had larger pupil dilations during tasks, indicating improved focus and attention.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Arlington·JournalAttention Perception & Psychophysics·TypeObservational study·DateApr 22, 2024

The surprising benefits of unconsciously remembering things

A new study found that unconscious reminders can strengthen memory, particularly when recalling associations between words and images. Unlike conscious reminders, which can lead to retrieval-induced forgetting, unconscious prompts facilitate a more nuanced process of memory consolidation.

SourceColumbia University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 26, 2024

Generative AI helps to explain human memory and imagination

A new study using generative AI models simulated how the brain learns and remembers events, revealing how memories are re-constructed in our minds. The model showed how the hippocampus and neocortex work together to create efficient 'conceptual' representations of scenes, enabling us to both recall past experiences and imagine new ones.

SourceUniversity College London·JournalNature Human Behaviour·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 19, 2024

Don’t look back: The aftermath of a distressing event is more memorable than the lead-up, study suggests

Researchers found that traumatic memories immediately following a distressing event are more memorable than the moments leading up to it. This discovery has implications for eyewitness testimonies, therapies for PTSD, and understanding memory decline in brain disorders like Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers identify new coding mechanism that transfers information from perception to memory

A new study has identified a neural coding mechanism that allows for the transfer of information between perceptual and memory regions of the brain. This discovery challenges traditional understanding of brain organization and suggests that memory areas encode visual information in a 'photographic negative' format.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalNature Neuroscience·TypeImaging analysis·DateJan 2, 2024