Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Building memories with actin

Researchers have discovered that actin reorganization in two stages is controlled by different pathways, making it easy to encode new memories but hard to hold onto them. The Rho-ROCK pathway initiates cytoskeletal changes, while the Rac-PAK pathway solidifies them, leading to heightened synapse sensitivity and memory persistence.

SourceRockefeller University Press·JournalJournal of Cell Biology·DateJul 13, 2009

Writing in air not pie in the sky

Researchers developed the PhonePoint Pen application, which uses built-in cell phone accelerometers to recognize human writing. Users can write short notes or draw diagrams in mid-air, with plans for future improvements including real-time feedback and character recognition.

Research finds photos more useful than words

Patients with very mild Alzheimer's disease can rely on implicit memory processes to support successful recognition of pictures, but struggle with word-based recall. Researchers hope to develop strategies that leverage implicit memory to improve learning and independence in patients with AD.

SourceBoston University·JournalNeuropsychologia·DateApr 30, 2009

An end to fear

A team of Dutch researchers successfully reduced the fear response in human volunteers using beta-blocker propranolol. The treatment weakened fear memories, allowing them to be erased from long-term memory. This breakthrough has implications for treating anxiety disorders and offers a new approach to intervention.

SourceNetherlands Organization for Scientific Research·JournalNature Neuroscience·DateMar 11, 2009

Decoding short-term memory with fMRI

Researchers at the University of Oregon and UC-San Diego used fMRI to identify specific information people store in short-term memory. They found that brain activity patterns can predict what someone is remembering based on visual details.

SourceUniversity of Oregon·JournalPsychological Science·DateFeb 20, 2009

That gut feeling may actually reflect a reliable memory

A new Northwestern University study uses brain-reading technology to show that people can be more accurate in recognizing familiar images when distracted or guessing than when paying full attention. The research suggests that implicit recognition may play a significant role in everyday decision-making and problem-solving.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalNature Neuroscience·DateFeb 8, 2009

Newborn brain cells 'time-stamp' memories

A computational model suggests that newborn brain cells add a unique time-related code to memories formed around the same time. This allows for recall of events from a certain period and connects independent events that occurred during the same hyperactive period, explaining why memories can be triggered by specific details.

SourceSalk Institute·JournalNeuron·DateJan 28, 2009

Did I see what I think I saw?

A recent study found that when people are told false information about an event shortly after witnessing it, they become less likely to remember the actual details. However, forcing them to recall what they witnessed shortly afterwards improves their ability to learn and retain false information.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalPsychological Science·DateJan 28, 2009

When less attention improves behavior

A study published in Cortex found that reducing attentional resources enhances memory accuracy in confabulating patients. By dividing their attention between tasks, these patients showed significantly reduced false-memory levels.

SourceElsevier·JournalCortex·DateJan 21, 2009

Old and young brains rely on different systems to remember emotional content

A study by Duke University Medical Center found that older adults use their brains differently when it comes to storing memories associated with negative emotions. Older adults have less connectivity between emotion-generating and memory regions, but stronger connections with the frontal cortex, which controls lower-order brain functions.

SourceDuke University Medical Center·JournalPsychological Science·DateDec 16, 2008

The psychology of deja vu

Researchers found that déjà vu experiences are associated with a sense of familiarity, even when the source is unknown. The study suggests that specific aspects of current situations can trigger feelings of familiarity, leading to Déjà vu experiences.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalCurrent Directions in Psychological Science·DateNov 18, 2008

The smart way to study

A recent study by researchers at UC San Diego found that proper spacing of lessons can dramatically enhance learning. The study, which involved over 1,000 subjects, revealed that larger gaps between study sessions result in better recall of facts. This contradicts the common practice of cramming, which is not effective in the long haul.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalPsychological Science·DateNov 18, 2008

Are animals stuck in time?

A recent study by William Roberts and his team found that rats can keep track of how much time has passed since a discovery, but not when it occurred. The researchers used an experiment with varying cues to test the rats' ability to remember episodic-like memories.

SourceUniversity of Western Ontario·JournalScience·DateApr 3, 2008

Deep brain stimulation may improve memory

A new study found that deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the hypothalamus can evoke detailed autobiographical memories in a patient with morbid obesity. After three weeks of continuous stimulation, the patient showed significant improvements in learning tests and was more likely to remember unrelated objects.

SourceWiley·JournalAnnals of Neurology·DateJan 30, 2008

Hypnosis study reveals brain's 'amnesia centers'

Researchers discovered distinctive activity differences in specific brain areas of hypnosis-susceptible individuals, which showed suppressed or increased activity during memory suppression and recall. The study suggests that hypnosis may model forms of amnesia by affecting an early executive decision on retrieval.