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Key to false memories uncovered

Duke University neuroscientists discovered that the brain region processing global gist of an event is more active in individuals with false memories. This finding could lead to tools for early Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and a better understanding of memory changes during aging.

Recognizing someone's name but forgetting how you met them is all in your head

A recent study by Western psychology graduate student Ben Bowles and professor Stefan Köhler found that the feeling of familiarity during recognition relies on a distinct brain mechanism. This insight sheds light on how memory is wired in the human brain, with implications for understanding memory deficits in neurology, including Alzhe...

SourceUniversity of Western Ontario·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 25, 2007

A balanced memory network

A study published in PLoS Computational Biology found that the number of memories stored in the brain is limited by the number of connections between neurons, not the number of neurons. This means that a typical human brain can store at most about 500 memories, regardless of its size.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·DateSep 6, 2007

Tracking feline memories on the move

A new study reveals that cats can remember having stepped over an obstacle for at least ten minutes, but only if their forelegs have done so. In contrast, visual memories of the obstacle proved fleeting. This finding suggests that cats' working memories may be longer than previously thought.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateAug 20, 2007

How the brain and an iPhone differ

A team of UO researchers found that human memory has a four-item limit, varying from person to person, with high IQ individuals able to think about more things at once. The study contradicts the assumption that those who can remember more items have clearer memories.

SourceUniversity of Oregon·JournalPsychological Science·DateJul 11, 2007

Blind people are 'serial memory' whizzes

A new study found that blind people have superior serial memory skills, particularly in remembering items in the correct order. This advantage is thought to result from the constant use of serial-memory strategies in everyday life. Researchers plan to further investigate the underlying mental processes responsible for this phenomenon.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateJun 21, 2007

Study: Discriminating fact from fiction in recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse

A recent study published in Psychological Science found that spontaneously recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse are corroborated about 37% of the time, similar to continuous memories. In contrast, memories recovered in therapy were never verified. These findings suggest that therapy can lead to suggestion and distortion of memo...

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalPsychological Science·DateJun 13, 2007

Sense and sensibility in short-term memory

A novel Brandeis University study confirms that sight and sound use similar neural mechanisms for encoding and retrieving short-term memories from both senses. The study found that the errors made in memory for sounds are the same types of errors made in memory for sight, suggesting a common brain process.

SourceBrandeis University·JournalPLOS Biology·DateFeb 19, 2007

Patients with amnesia 'live in the present'

Patients with hippocampal damage experience severe impairments in imagining new experiences and planning for the future. They struggle to visualize complex scenarios, instead seeing fragmented images. Researchers suggest a common brain mechanism underlying memory recall and imaginative thinking may be affected.

SourceWellcome Trust·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 15, 2007

Tales of the unexpected

The hippocampus predicts future events by recalling associated memories and comparing past experiences to present ones. Damage to the hippocampus affects sequence memory and navigation abilities.

SourceWellcome Trust·JournalPLOS Biology·DateNov 27, 2006

Multi-tasking adversely affects brain's learning, UCLA psychologists report

A study by UCLA psychologists found that multi-tasking impairs the ability to learn new information, especially in tasks requiring attention and declarative memory. The researchers used fMRI to examine brain activity and found that multi-tasking disrupts the hippocampus, a critical region for learning and memory.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 26, 2006

Our memory wears rose-colored glasses

The study highlights that self-defining memories are emotionally complex and significant to individuals. Researcher Wendy-Jo Wood found that people tend to downplay negative events while emphasizing positive ones, which contributes to a more optimistic view of their experiences.

SourceBlackwell Publishing Ltd.·JournalJournal of Personality·DateMay 16, 2006

You will remember this

Researchers at University College London discovered that brain activity before an event is linked to memory recall. The study used EEG scans to show that preparing the brain for a task can enhance long-term memory, and that this preparation can be done by being 'in the right frame of mind' and staying alert between cues.

SourceUniversity College London·JournalNature Neuroscience·DateFeb 26, 2006

Giving déjà vu a second look

Researchers at the University of Leeds have developed a new framework to study chronic deja vu, a condition where people experience a strong sense of familiarity for new experiences. The Cognitive Feelings Framework (CFF) uses subjective reports and neuro-imaging to better understand everyday sensations like deja vu.

'To be or, or ... um ... line!'

A study by cognitive psychologists Helga Noice and Tony Noice found that actors acquire lines quickly by focusing on the character's intention, rather than just memorizing the words. This 'active experiencing' principle is effective not only for actors but also for improving memory and cognition in older adults.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalCurrent Directions in Psychological Science·DateJan 25, 2006

Researchers know what you were about to say; fMRI used to detect memory storage and retrieval

A study by Sean Polyn and colleagues used fMRI to track brain activity during memory retrieval, finding the 'bootstrapping' effect where recalling a part of a memory triggers associated memories. This technique could help treat brain disorders like Alzheimer's disease and guide creation of more self-sufficient artificial neural networks.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalScience·DateDec 22, 2005

Tracking the memory trace

A memory trace is formed in a pair of neurons called the dorsal pair medial neurons, but only 30 minutes after the fact and through the mediation of a gene called amnesiac. The change can last about two hours, challenging the common-held precept that memories are stored in the same place.

SourceBaylor College of Medicine·JournalCell·DateDec 2, 2005

The 'been there, done that' memory response

The study reveals that a decrease in medial temporal lobe activity tracks the level of perceived memory strength for faces. Graded reductions in cortical responses support graded perceptions of item familiarity, allowing organisms to discriminate between novel and familiar items.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateAug 31, 2005

Spaced out

The human brain employs complex responses for recollection, making it challenging to optimize advertising effectiveness. Research suggests that varying spacing repetitions can strengthen memory traces and improve recall.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJul 25, 2005

Brain function in schizophrenia can improve with support, holds promise for cognitive rehabilitation

A new study from Washington University in St. Louis shows that people with schizophrenia can remember things just as well as healthy subjects with proper cues and memory aids. The research suggests a new way to understand the cognitive problems underlying schizophrenia, offering hope for more effective cognitive rehabilitation programs.

SourceWashington University in St. Louis·JournalBiological Psychiatry·DateJul 5, 2005