Articles tagged with Spatial Memory
A study from MIT neuroscientists has identified a hippocampal circuit that stores information about the timing of events, allowing mice to remember when to turn left or right in a maze. Disrupting this circuit impaired their ability to remember direction, but not location.
Cognitive tests show ravens develop quickly, with skills similar to those of orang-utans and chimpanzees by four months. Ravens excel in tasks requiring addition and relative numbers but struggle with spatial memory.
A study found that humans more accurately recall the locations of high-calorie foods than low-calorie foods. Participants presented with food samples were 27% more accurate at mapping high-calorie foods to the correct location, while those presented with food-scented cotton pads showed a 28% accuracy boost.
A new study from University of East Anglia and University of Florence reveals that faecal transplants can alter gut microbiome, impacting spatial learning and memory in mice. The procedure may hold promise as a therapy to combat cognitive decline among the elderly.
Researchers found that brain function remapping is impaired in Alzheimer's disease patients, causing spatial memory impairment. Improving brain remapping function may reverse spatial memory impairment using deep brain stimulation methods.
A study published in Neuron reveals how normal brain network function of hippocampus cells, which works to discriminate a distinct spatial environment, is disrupted in Alzheimer's disease. The disruption is likely caused by the activity impairment of the entorhinal cortex.
A team of Greek researchers evaluate the progress in optical memory domain over past 25 years, shedding light on physical mechanisms behind demonstrated devices and classifying performance metrics. They highlight benefits of different optical technologies and report recent achievements towards advancing memory functionalities.
Researchers have identified a link between L-serine and memory problems in Alzheimer's disease. Supplying this amino acid as a nutritional supplement restored spatial memory affected early in mouse models.
A new study by Gladstone Institutes reveals that specific patterns of brain activity can predict Alzheimer's symptoms in young mice. By analyzing sharp-wave ripples and short gamma power, researchers found that deficits in these activities at an early age can predict memory problems decades later.
Researchers have identified individual neurons in the entorhinal cortex that target specific memories during recall. These 'memory-trace cells' exhibit spatially tuned activity corresponding to remembered locations, suggesting a mechanism for selectively recalling past events.
Researchers identified the GRIK1 gene as a cause of spatial orientation problems in people with Down syndrome. Normalizing the dose of this gene in mouse models reversed the imbalance and eliminated spatial memory issues.
A study published in Neuron found that brain areas and patterns of interaction are similar regardless of navigation method, suggesting that sufficient information can be obtained from visual cues alone. The research suggests that even basic virtual reality systems may be useful in instructional applications.
Joshua Jacobs has won a $558,865 NSF Faculty Early Career Development award to study how the human brain supports spatial navigation and memory. The project aims to identify fundamental types of brain signals that support these processes.
Researchers identified astrocytic mu-opioid receptors as key to conditioned place preference, a mechanism underlying addictive behaviors. The study found that astrocytic MORs in the hippocampus release glutamates, increasing synaptic transmissions and inducing long-term potentiation, which is responsible for spatial memory acquisition.
A new study investigated the impact of high altitude exposure on short-term memory, identifying effects on spatial and verbal memory. The study found that high altitude exposure can lead to deficits in these aspects of cognition, affecting daily functioning.
A team of scientists has found evidence that the human hippocampus is necessary for future planning and decision-making. The study, published in Neuron, revealed that individuals with epilepsy displayed inferior spatial memory and a tendency to plan less, highlighting the cognitive map's role in planning into the future.
Neurons in both males and females produce estrogen, which is essential for synaptic plasticity and memory. Research shows that mice lacking estrogen have impaired spatial reference memory and recognition memory.
A long-term study of mountain chickadees found that individuals with better learning and memory skills are more likely to survive their first winter. This is due to natural selection acting on the birds' spatial cognition, which enables them to find food caches made during previous winters.
Researchers studied rats' brain activity while navigating an augmented reality environment, finding that their internal map of location is constantly updated on a minute-by-minute basis. This process, called path integration, involves the use of external landmarks and self-motion cues to estimate distance and speed.
Research reveals chronic stress impairs spatial memory through altered glucose metabolism, with susceptible individuals showing cognitive impairments.
Researchers found that similar brain regions are involved in both spatial navigation and odor identification, suggesting an intrinsic association between the two. Participants with better spatial memory were also better at identifying smells, supporting the idea that these skills evolved together.
Researchers found that mouse memory cells, known as engram cells, are activated by context and episodes, rather than specific locations. This challenges the traditional view of memory storage in the hippocampus, suggesting a more complex role for the brain region.
Researchers from Rice University and Michigan Medicine developed a tool to analyze brain waves during periods of rest. They found that these ripples can be used to reconstruct memories of an environment, even when the animals were not actively exploring. The study provides new insights into how brains sort and store information.
Researchers used high-resolution functional brain imaging to study memory performance in younger and older adults. The study found that object memory is more vulnerable to age-related decline than spatial memory, with a specific region of the brain linked to this deficit.
A study by University of California, Irvine researchers found that high-resolution brain imaging can identify the underlying causes of differences in memory proficiency between older and younger adults. The study revealed that object memory is more vulnerable to age-related decline than spatial memory.
A study published in Scientific Reports found that dominant male Long-billed Hermits have better spatial memories and sing more consistent songs than less successful males. This advantage allows them to defend their singing perches and attract females, highlighting the importance of cognitive abilities in animal behavior.
Four NYU faculty members have been awarded Sloan Foundation fellowships for their innovative research, transforming fields such as neuroscience, finance, and chemistry. Jayeeta Basu aims to understand long-term memory formation, while Johannes Stroebel focuses on financial decision-making of households.
Scientists at Northwestern University used non-invasive brain stimulation to target specific memory networks, enhancing spatial precision and retention. The treatment showed lasting benefits of up to 24 hours, outperforming previous studies on short-lived effects.
A recent study published in Neuron found that deep brain stimulation did not improve memory performance, with a range of impairment from 5% to 20%. However, the researchers suggest that a different stimulation protocol may be necessary to boost memory.
Studies show that when learning objects in an open space, spatial memory is accessed step-by-step, while environmental spaces require more time to recall objects from neighboring corridors. This research has implications for understanding navigation and the neuronal basis of wayfinding.
Researchers found that rats replay sequences in reverse when rewarded, suggesting the brain links rewards to paths. This mechanism may aid humans in recalling important details about their surroundings.
Researchers will investigate how memory systems develop in the human brain using unique neuroimaging methodologies. The project aims to identify spatial and temporal dynamics of memory networks in children with medically uncontrolled epilepsy, with potential clinical applications to improve their quality of life.
A new study by SUNY Downstate resolves the controversy over PKMzeta's importance in forming and retaining memories. Mice lacking PKMzeta recruit a closely related molecule, PKCiota/lambda, to compensate for its absence, highlighting the brain's memory system durability.
A recent York University brain study found that a one-second delay in frontal cortex processing can lead to errors in high-accuracy tasks, such as tennis. The researchers recorded signals in the frontal cortex during memory delays and analyzed visual responses and motor activity.
Researchers found that brain regions synchronize electrical activity in a specific rhythm, known as theta oscillation, to facilitate spatial choice and memory processes.
Researchers analyzed brain scans and behavioral tests of stranded sea lions to find correlations between brain damage and specific behavioral impairments. They discovered damage to the hippocampus, a key region for memory processes, and effects on interactions with other brain structures.
A study found that chronic exposure to domoic acid causes significant deficits in spatial memory and brain damage in California sea lions. The research documented impaired performance on short- and long-term spatial memory tasks and linked the extent of hippocampal damage to specific behavioral impairments.
A new study shows that male prairie voles with poorer spatial memory, which tend to wander farther for mates, exhibit higher levels of promiscuity. This is associated with gene expression changes that are heritable and linked to increased risk of encountering aggressive males.
Researchers found that grid cells integrate information about time and distance to support memory and spatial navigation, even without visual landmarks. The discovery suggests a broader role for the medial entorhinal cortex in coding locations, time, and distance.
Scientists have identified a new neural circuit in the brain that tracks movement speed and delivers this information to spatial memory systems. This discovery has important implications for understanding movement-related symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease and improving spatial memory.
Researchers at Northwestern University discovered that a sleep-based intervention after training can significantly reduce implicit social biases. The study, published in Science, found that participants who received the intervention showed stronger bias reduction one week later. The findings challenge traditional views on habit learnin...
The study suggests the hippocampus is primarily associated with memory formation and not spatial skills. Patients with hippocampal lesions can perform spatial tasks as long as these tasks don't depend on long-term memory, supported by frontal lobe functions.
Researchers at McGill University have developed a new diagnostic tool for concussions in children, utilizing brain activation study findings. The spatial memory task has the potential to aid in assessing recovery and determining safe return to activities.
Researchers have discovered a multifunctional protein called BAI1, which is involved in limiting the growth of brain tumors but also critical for spatial learning and memory. Mice lacking BAI1 exhibit changes in neural responses and structure, leading to impaired spatial memory acquisition.
Researchers from Texas A&M University have discovered a compound called resveratrol that may help improve memory function in older adults. Studies have shown that treatment with resveratrol can increase neurogenesis and improve blood flow to the brain, leading to better cognitive function.
Researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center found that sleep apnea disrupts REM stage sleep, impairing spatial memory in humans. Sleep apnea can lead to longer completion times in a 3D maze, even when other sleep stages are intact.
Neuroscientists at the University of Texas at Austin found that neurons in the brain tune into different frequencies of gamma waves for various spatial memory tasks. The research suggests that fast gamma waves promote encoding of recent experiences, while slow gamma waves support memory retrieval.
A study by researchers at Duke University found that fruit-eating lemur species excel in spatial memory tests, demonstrating a strong link between diet and cognitive abilities. The findings suggest that lemurs with diets rich in fruits, which are seasonally available and often hard to access, develop superior spatial memory skills.
Increased inflammation after infections impairs brain's ability to form spatial memories by disrupting neural circuits involved in learning and memory. The study used PET scans to measure effects of inflammation on glucose consumption in the brain, revealing a decrease in glucose metabolism in the Medial Temporal Lobe.
A new study found that an early onset of dietary treatment may slow down the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The research, conducted on mice, suggests that even slight changes in diet composition can lead to significant changes in brain metabolism and improved memory performance.
Neuroscientists found that brain cells encode spatial information and form 'geotags' for memories, activated before recall. Spatial memory systems are linked to episodic memories, allowing researchers to predict recalled items with accuracy.
Michael M. Yartsev's research using bats to study neural coding mechanisms underlying three-dimensional spatial memory and navigation has provided novel insights into the mammalian brain. His award-winning essay highlights a discovery that place cells in bats help navigate 3D space, differing from previously identified processes in rats.
A new study from MIT reveals a gene essential for memory extinction, which could benefit people with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Enhancing the activity of this gene, Tet1, might make it easier to replace fearful memories with more positive associations.
A new study in mice found that a high-fat diet in adolescence can lead to impaired spatial memory and learning in adulthood. The researchers also found long-lasting brain changes in the mice with memory deficits, including a partial loss of leptin, a hormone that supports cognitive function.
A new study by Duke University finds that male song sparrows with larger playlists learn to solve food-finding puzzles more slowly than those singing fewer songs. This unexpected result suggests a trade-off between song learning and spatial memory in birds' brains, with potential implications for human brain development.
Researchers created a mouse model reproducing Alzheimer's chemical changes to shed light on spatial memory issues. The study found reduced acetylcholine led to spatial memory deficits and hyperactivity in mice.
Researchers discovered that green tea's EGCG chemical property increases neural progenitor cells, enhancing learning and memory. The study found that EGCG-treated mice required less time to find hidden platforms in mazes.
Researchers blocked learning from past experiences in rats, impairing memory-guided decision-making. Awake mental replay is critical for linking immediate and earlier past experience to the reward.
A new study published in Psychological Science reveals that people's internal mental maps are oriented towards the north, improving accuracy in spatial tasks. The study found that participants performed best when facing north and drew differently oriented maps, but only used their memorized map as a reliable source of spatial information.
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine developed a memory-enhancing drug by inhibiting PKR activity, which boosts excitability and enhances learning and memory. In mice, PKR inhibition led to increased synaptic activity caused by gamma interferon, mimicking the effect of a 'memory pill'.