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Researchers retrieve 'lost' memories

Researchers from the RIKEN-MIT Center for Neural Circuit Genetics demonstrated that traces of old memories remain in the amnestic brain and can be reactivated, allowing lost memories to be found. The study suggests that past memories may not be erased but lost and inaccessible for recall.

SourceRIKEN·JournalScience·DateMay 28, 2015

Researchers find 'lost' memories

Researchers at MIT have successfully reactivated lost memories in mice using optogenetics, revealing that memories are stored in a circuit of multiple brain areas and interconnected engram cells. This breakthrough challenges the long-held storage theory and proposes a new concept of memory consolidation.

On the trail of the clever snail

Researchers found that snails vary in their ability to remember and respond to training, with those good at one type of memory being poor at others. The study reveals that there is no universally smart snail, but rather individuals are smart at some things but not everything.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalScientific Reports·DateMay 27, 2015

Memories influence choice of food

A study published in Neuron found that people tend to prefer snacks they can recall better, even if they are less attractive. The researchers used fMRI scans and mathematical modeling to understand how memory influences decision-making, revealing an increase in communication between the hippocampus and ventromedial prefrontal cortex.

SourceUniversity of Basel·JournalNeuron·DateMay 21, 2015

Living life in the third person

Cognitive scientists identified three middle-aged adults with SDAM, who lack personal recollection of past events but can learn and recall information normally. Brain imaging revealed reduced vividness and activation in midline brain regions, as well as a subtle volume reduction in the hippocampus.

SourceBaycrest Centre for Geriatric Care·JournalNeuropsychologia·DateApr 20, 2015

Researchers create artificial link between unrelated memories

In a groundbreaking study, researchers used optogenetics to artificially associate the memory of a foot shock with an unrelated environment, triggering increased fear-related behavior. The findings suggest that co-activated cell ensembles can link two distinct memories, paving the way for new treatments of psychiatric disorders.

SourceCell Press·JournalCell Reports·DateApr 2, 2015

Bumblebees make false memories too

Researchers found that bumblebees can create false memories by combining features of previously seen stimuli. This phenomenon is similar to human memory conjunction errors and may be an adaptive mechanism to help animals respond in new situations. The study suggests that false memories may be widespread in the animal kingdom.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateFeb 26, 2015

Seeing is not remembering

Scientists tested 100 undergraduate students in a memory experiment and found that even simple pieces of information were often forgotten when not expected. However, participants performed better when the information was relevant to their current task. This suggests that people's expectations play a significant role in determining what...

SourcePenn State·JournalPsychological Science·DateJan 21, 2015

Many memories, many rooms

A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that rats can create a unique map for every environment, allowing them to remember distinct locations without mixing up similar events. This discovery sheds light on the brain's storage capacity and memory organization.

SourceNorwegian University of Science and Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 8, 2014

NJ brain injury researchers find retrieval practice improves memory in youth with TBI

A study by researchers from Kessler Foundation and Children's Specialized Hospital found that retrieval practice can improve memory in children and adolescents with TBI. This method was found to be the best learning strategy for each of the participants, improving learning and memory among this age group with TBI.

SourceKessler Foundation·JournalArchives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation·DateDec 3, 2014

Is your relationship moving toward marriage? If it isn't, you probably can't admit it

A University of Illinois study found that couples in trouble with their relationship tend to distort their memories, whereas those moving toward marriage remember their journey accurately. This distortion helps them cope with the psychological implications of staying in a stagnant relationship.

Change your walking style, change your mood

Researchers showed subjects a list of positive and negative words, then asked them to walk on a treadmill while measuring their gait and posture. The study found that those who walked in a depressed style recalled more negative words from the earlier list, suggesting a link between walking style and mood.

SourceCIFAR·JournalJournal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry·DateOct 15, 2014

Manipulating memory with light

Scientists at UC Davis used optogenetics to erase specific memories in mice, showing coordinated activity between the cerebral cortex and hippocampus during memory retrieval. The study confirms a long-standing idea about memory processing, providing new insights into how the brain functions.

Researchers switch emotion linked to memory

The study reveals that the hippocampus can freely associate with either positive or negative emotions, while the amygdala is hard-wired for specific experiences. This flexibility may help explain the success of behavioral therapy for phobias and PTSD, and suggests novel treatments for depression and other disorders.

SourceRIKEN·JournalNature·DateAug 27, 2014

Xenon exposure shown to erase traumatic memories

Researchers at McLean Hospital found that xenon gas can reduce memories of traumatic events, potentially treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other memory-related disorders. The study used an animal model to demonstrate the effectiveness of xenon in blocking fear responses for up to two weeks.

SourceMcLean Hospital·JournalPLOS ONE·DateAug 27, 2014

Passengers who survived terrifying Air Transat flight in 2001 help psychologists uncover new clues about post-traumatic stress vulnerability

Researchers at Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care studied the memories of 15 Air Transat passengers who experienced a life-threatening emergency in 2001. They found that those with PTSD recalled more external details, not just specific events, suggesting altered memory processing may be a vulnerability factor.

SourceBaycrest Centre for Geriatric Care·JournalClinical Psychological Science·DateAug 13, 2014

Kessler Foundation scientists identify predictors of prospective memory deficit post TBI

Researchers found that rule monitoring, an executive function, facilitates more accurate prospective memory in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The study identified predictors of prospective memory deficit post-TBI and highlights the importance of including rule monitoring in clinical assessments.

SourceKessler Foundation·JournalJournal of the International Neuropsychological Society·DateAug 12, 2014

Scientists explain how memories stick together

Researchers at Salk Institute develop a new model of memory that explains how neurons retain select memories hours after an event. The framework bridges findings from both molecular and systems observations, predicting which memories are recorded based on spatial positioning of proteins.

SourceSalk Institute·JournalNeuron·DateApr 16, 2014