The discovery has been years in the making. Back in 2012, Katherine Duncan used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to identify how the brain triggers memory states, uncovering a brain region that detects novelty. She then demonstrated that novelty detection acts like a switch, changing how the brain learns and remembers. Finally, she determined the impact of novelty on human memory. As she puts it, “We find that familiarity increased retrieval of other unrelated memories but reduced the chances for memory formation. On the other hand, novelty enhanced the later formation of distinct memories without worrying about previous experiences.”<\/p>\n
Duncan suggests we need to revisit how we make memories. “Your ability to remember something doesn’t just depend on the strength of the memory, it depends on the state that you’re in.” Her work also hints at new strategies to improve memory development. “We’re using what we know about the brain to develop memory enhancing tricks, helping people remember faces, names, and places.”<\/p>\n
Her revelations are a stellar example of basic research and its implications at work. “We’ve just scratched the surface, yet we are already seeing links to disorders involving memory impairments such as Alzheimer’s disease. If we pin down the neurochemistry of these states, we may one day develop novel early warning tests and possibly, down the road, management strategies.”<\/p>\n
Article source: https:\/\/www.sciencedaily.com\/releases\/2017\/05\/170531103325.htm<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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