Latest Memory Stories

People may be learning while they're sleeping – an unconscious form of memory that is still not well understood, according to a study by Michigan State University researchers. The findings are highlighted in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. "We speculate that we may be investigating a separate form of memory, distinct from traditional memory systems," said Kimberly Fenn, assistant professor of psychology and lead researcher on the project. "There is substantial...

Viewing computer images causes long-term changes in nerve cell connections Viewing two-dimensional images of the environment, as they occur in computer games, leads to sustained changes in the strength of nerve cell connections in the brain. In Cerebral Cortex, Prof. Dr. Denise Manahan-Vaughan and Anne Kemp of the RUB Department for Neurophysiology report about these findings. When the researchers presented rats with new spatial environments on a computer screen, they observed long-lasting...

MindSparke's highly acclaimed brain training software gets a boost with a new release focused on speed and ease of use. In Brain Fitness Pro Version 2, rapid access and simplified navigation let the trainee to get on with the task of getting smarter. Brooklyn, New York (PRWEB) September 21, 2011 MindSparke, a premier publisher of brain training software, today announced the release of Brain Fitness Pro Version 2. MindSparke CEO Martin Walker explained that the new release was focused...

Older individuals' complaints about memory lapses such as having trouble remembering recent events may indicate that they are experiencing cognitive problems that are greater than typical age-related changes. These findings, which are published today in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, indicate that primary care clinicians, who are often the first to see patients who are worried about their memory, should be aware that such complaints might be indicative of something serious...

USC scientists explore motor memory in hopes of fostering better rehabilitation techniques for stroke patients For the first time, scientists at USC have unlocked a mechanism behind the way short- and long-term motor memory work together and compete against one another. The research — from a team led by Nicolas Schweighofer of the Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy at USC — could potentially pave the way to more effective rehabilitation for stroke patients. It turns...

Study demonstrates that women's memory is sensitive to male voice pitch Men take note: If you want women to remember, speak to them in a low pitch voice. Then, depending on what they remember about you, they may or may not rate you as a potential mate. That's according to a new study by David Smith and colleagues from the University of Aberdeen in the UK. Their work shows for the first time that a low masculine voice is important for both mate choice and the accuracy of women's memory. The...

During childhood and adolescence, children develop the ability to remember not only past events but the origin of those memories. For example, someone may remember meeting a particular person and the context in which he or she met that person. New research from Germany has found that the ability to remember the origin of memories is a relatively long process that matures during adolescence but isn't fully developed until adulthood. The study, by researchers at Saarland University, appears...

Collaboration helps middle-aged couples with memory tasks, but not as effective for older couples Effective memory is a key ability for independent living in later life, and a new Iowa State University study is among the first to report that social partners can help extend memory. The study also found that the collaboration that helps middle-aged couples with memory tasks doesn't seem to be as effective for couples older than 70. Jennifer Margrett, an assistant professor in human...

Who hasn't forgotten someone's name, misplaced their glasses or walked into a room and not remembered why they entered? Normal age-related memory decline affects more than half of all seniors, and those over 80 are the most vulnerable. A new UCLA study has found that a memory fitness program offered to older adults in their senior living communities helped improve their ability to recognize and recall words, benefitting their verbal learning and retention. Published in the September...

“I’ll meet you at the place near the thing where we went that time,” says the character Aaron in the 1987 movie Broadcast News. He and the woman he’s talking to have a lot of common ground, the shared territory that makes conversations work.  Common ground is why, after you’ve mentioned Great-Aunt Mildred’s 80th birthday party once in a conversation, you can just refer to it as “the party.” In a new study to be published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, a...