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Rest may help reduce PTSD symptoms, UCL study finds

A new UCL study has found that a period of rest following a traumatic event can reduce the development of involuntary 'memory intrusions' in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study suggests that increasing memory consolidation, which involves storing and contextualizing memories, may help prevent these disturbances.

SourceUniversity College London·JournalScientific Reports·DateOct 9, 2019

Anticipating performance can hinder memory

A study by the University of Waterloo found that anticipating performance at work or school can hinder memory recall. The presence of an audience may also contribute to this effect. Researchers suggest strategies like presenting first to avoid pre-performance anxiety.

SourceUniversity of Waterloo·JournalJournal of Memory and Language·DateOct 3, 2019

BU study: Are kids hardwired for revenge?

A new study published in Psychological Science found that children as young as 4 years old exhibit a strong tendency to retaliate against those who wrong them, rather than showing gratitude towards their benefactors. Researchers discovered that kids readily punish the thieves but struggle to reciprocate kindness.

SourceBoston University·JournalPsychological Science·DateSep 10, 2019

Fake news can lead to false memories

Researchers found that nearly half of respondents recalled rich details about fabricated news stories, especially those aligned with their political beliefs. The study suggests that fake news can plant entirely fabricated memories, even after explicit warnings, and that people may be more likely to act on these false memories.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalPsychological Science·DateAug 21, 2019

Deep brain stimulation modifies memory

Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center found that stimulating the cingulate cortex worsened memory recall in epilepsy patients. However, deep brain stimulation also modified hippocampal brain waves and demonstrated a direct role for the cingulate cortex in memory encoding.

Tart cherry juice may juice up the brain

Daily intake of Montmorency tart cherry juice improved memory scores among adults aged 65-73, with notable reductions in movement time and errors during visual and spatial working memory tasks. Compliance was high, but larger studies are warranted to confirm findings.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalFood & Function·DateJul 28, 2019

Your nose knows when it comes to stronger memories

Researchers found that unpleasant odors improve memory for images paired with the bad smell 24 hours later, as well as for related images. Individuals with larger arousal responses had better memory recall. The study suggests that aversive odors can be used to examine emotional learning and memory processes across development.

SourceNew York University·JournalLearning & Memory·DateJun 19, 2019

Unexpectedly big wins improve two kinds of memory

Brown University researchers discovered that unexpectedly good outcomes enhance the memory of specific events, which may have implications for treating individuals with depression. The study found that participants were better at remembering specific images from rounds where they had a high likelihood of winning.

SourceBrown University·JournalNature Human Behaviour·DateMay 6, 2019

What makes memories stronger?

Studies in rats reveal that highly demanding and rewarding experiences result in stronger memories due to replay processes in the hippocampus. This finding provides new insights into memory consolidation, which could lead to treatments that strengthen memories and better understand memory decline in diseases like dementia.

Like old photographs, memories fade over time

A team of Boston College researchers discovered that memories fade in quality over time, losing vibrancy and visual details. The study found that people report declines in the visual qualities of their memories, akin to applying a filter to edit a picture.

SourceBoston College·JournalPsychological Science·DateApr 5, 2019

Note-taking jurors influence verdicts, study finds

Researchers found that note-taking during trials enhances jurors' recall of critical evidence and influences verdicts. Jurors with faster handwriting speed, higher short-term memory capacity, and better sustained attention remembered more incriminating evidence, leading to a greater likelihood of finding the defendant guilty.

SourceUniversity of Liverpool·JournalPLOS ONE·DateMar 11, 2019

Remembering to forget

A human neuroimaging study suggests that intentionally redirecting attention away from an unwanted experience during memory formation and suppressing its retrieval once formed can facilitate forgetting. The research provides evidence for a new link between voluntary control of visual attention and long-term memory fate.

Epigenetics contribute to male and female differences in fear memory

A mouse model of traumatic memory found that male mice recall fear-related memories better than female mice due to natural activation of cyclin dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) in males. Artificial activation of Cdk5 reduced the strength of fear memories in female mice, highlighting sex differences in how fear is remembered.

SourceElsevier·JournalBiological Psychiatry·DateJan 17, 2019

Men and women remember pain differently

Research confirms men and women remember pain differently, with men recalling earlier painful experiences and being stressed by later pain. Blocking memories of previous pain alleviates the stress response, suggesting a potential treatment approach for chronic pain sufferers.

SourceMcGill University·JournalCurrent Biology·DateJan 10, 2019

Do you recognize this image?

Researchers at the University of Tokyo found that histamine improved people's long-term memory test scores, especially for those with poor memories. The study showed mice could recognize toys they'd seen as long as 28 days ago after receiving a medication that increases histamine in the brain.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalBiological Psychiatry·DateJan 8, 2019