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Memory

·February 25, 2025·6 min read

Brain’s Working Memory Limits Tied to Learning, Not Just Capacity

A new study reveals that working memory limitations stem from learning challenges rather than storage capacity. Using a computer model of the basal ganglia and thalamus, researchers showed that holding too much information at once confuses the brain, impairing its ability to learn and use stored data effectively.

This shows a person floating in a dream.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 19, 2025·5 min read

Why Some People Remember Dreams and Others Don’t

A new study explores why some people vividly recall dreams while others forget them. Researchers found that dream recall is influenced by personality traits, sleep patterns, and even seasonal changes. People who frequently daydream and have a positive attitude toward dreams were more likely to remember them.

This shows a man at a computer and a marmoset.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 18, 2025·6 min read

Why We Keep Exploring Even After Learning the Best Strategy

A new study reveals that both humans and marmosets continue to adjust their behavior even after learning an optimal task strategy. Instead of sticking to a known successful approach, they subtly modify their responses based on their most recent experience.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·February 8, 2025·7 min read

Mitochondria’s Role in Social Memory May Offer Clues to Brain Disorder

Researchers have identified a unique mitochondrial process in CA2 neurons that supports learning, memory, and social recognition. Mitochondria in different parts of these neurons vary in structure and function, with those at the outermost synapses relying on the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) for plasticity. Deleting the MCU gene disrupted this plasticity, highlighting its crucial role in maintaining neural connectivity.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 7, 2025·6 min read

Brain Cells Use Muscle-Like Signals to Strengthen Learning and Memory

New research reveals that brain cells use a muscle-like signaling mechanism to relay information over long distances. Scientists discovered that dendrites, the branch-like extensions of neurons, contain a structured network of contact sites that amplify calcium signals—similar to how muscles contract.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 6, 2025·5 min read

Sleep Strengthens Emotionally Charged Memories During Non-REM Phase

Researchers have discovered that positive emotions enhance perceptual memories during sleep, particularly in the non-REM stage. Using mice, they found that memories linked to rewarding experiences lasted longer than neutral ones.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 28, 2025·6 min read

Cannabis Use Reduces Brain Activity in Key Memory Regions

A study of over 1,000 young adults reveals that both recent and heavy lifetime cannabis use reduce brain activity in regions critical for working memory, including the prefrontal cortex and anterior insula. This reduced activity correlates with poorer performance on memory tasks like following instructions or solving problems.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·January 17, 2025·7 min read

Mapping IL-1’s Role in Mood, Memory, and Sensory Circuits

A comprehensive study mapped neuronal IL-1R1 (nIL-1R1) expression in the mouse brain, highlighting its role in sensory processing, mood, and memory regulation. Researchers found that neurons expressing IL-1R1 integrate immune and neural signals, revealing connections between inflammation and brain disorders like depression and anxiety.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 15, 2025·5 min read

Food Memories Drive Overeating and Obesity

A new study identifies neurons in the hippocampus that store food-specific memories, directly influencing overeating and body weight. These neurons, which encode memories for sugar and fat, act as "memory traces" that drive dietary behavior and metabolism.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 15, 2025·8 min read

How the Brain Uses Place Cells to Anchor Episodic Memories

Researchers have developed a model explaining how place cells in the hippocampus anchor both spatial and episodic memories. Grid cells in the entorhinal cortex interact with hippocampal cells to create a scaffold, linking memories to specific neural patterns.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 8, 2025·4 min read

Sleep Loss Weakens Brain’s Ability to Block Unwanted Memories

New research reveals that sleep deprivation hampers the brain’s ability to suppress intrusive memories, a process critical for mental health. The study found that well-rested individuals could engage the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to inhibit unwanted memories, while sleep-deprived participants struggled.

This shows a man against a blurry background.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 7, 2025·4 min read

False Memories Are Harder to Create Than Once Thought

A new analysis challenges long-standing claims about the ease of implanting false memories, often cited in court cases to discredit witnesses. Researchers re-evaluated data from a 2023 replication of the "Lost in the Mall" study, finding that none of the participants formed fully false memories of a fabricated childhood event.

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Memory

Brain’s Working Memory Limits Tied to Learning, Not Just Capacity

Why Some People Remember Dreams and Others Don’t

Why We Keep Exploring Even After Learning the Best Strategy

Brain Cells Use Muscle-Like Signals to Strengthen Learning and Memory

Sleep Strengthens Emotionally Charged Memories During Non-REM Phase

Cannabis Use Reduces Brain Activity in Key Memory Regions

Mapping IL-1’s Role in Mood, Memory, and Sensory Circuits

Food Memories Drive Overeating and Obesity

How the Brain Uses Place Cells to Anchor Episodic Memories

Sleep Loss Weakens Brain’s Ability to Block Unwanted Memories

False Memories Are Harder to Create Than Once Thought

Rapidly Evolving DNA May Explain Human Brain Complexity

Brain Activity Can Predict Crowd Behavior

SSRIs May Speed Up Cognitive Decline

Brain’s Working Memory Limits Tied to Learning, Not Just Capacity

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