What sticks in memory is largely dependent on what aspects of an event we focus on. Magdeburg Neuroscientists have now identified two networks in the brain store the learning characteristics of a qualitatively different information.
A Dispute on the street can turn our attention to different aspects of the scene: If you concentrate on what is there, screaming, you can probably remember later the subject of the dispute, but perhaps not to the clothing of the contestants.
other hand, if we focus much on the look, you can play them more likely details about the color of the clothes than on the content of the dispute. Successful recall depends always also depends on which part of memory contents (eg, superficial or semantic features) currently is of importance.
In the study at the University Clinic of Neurology, the brain activity of subjects using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) were measured while they memorize a long word lists. This learning phase was followed by a two-stage "memory test". This successive words flashed for only very short time (33-66 msec) on the screen, and the subjects should first try to identify these words. Thereafter, should also be specified, whether it is just shown the word to a previously learned or is a new word. Previously learned words were identified better than new words. This effect is known as implicit (unconscious) memory, because it occurs regardless of whether the subjects could consciously remember to have learned the appropriate word in advance (explicit or conscious memory).
The brain researchers now analyzed the brain activity of subjects during learning, separately for words that are later consciously, unconsciously or even to be remembered. It showed, first, that a previously known network of the hippocampus, the lower lobe and upper parietal lobe later conscious (explicit) remembering predicted. On the other hand was found as well as an independent network of brain regions of the upper frontal and inferior parietal lobe, that the increased activity in the subsequent successful identification of the words the unconscious memory predicted. Amazingly, this network corresponded exactly to the brain regions that typically also predict forgetting in explicit memory. The Magdeburg researchers suggest that this network is always active when people focus their attention on the more superficial features (eg appearance) of information. This standard of the processing has a positive effect on the subsequent identification, but a negative effect on the conscious recollection.
When learning seem so different brain networks in qualitatively different aspects of processing and storing of memory contents. Activity in those regions that are typically later-conscious Remember predict, presumably reflecting the re-processing of word meaning. While this has a beneficial impact on the explicit memory, but also detrimental to the unconscious visual processing of information. Similarly, there are brain regions that process the visual aspects of information and leave a memory trace rather superficial, but their activity can have negative consequences for the later conscious recall of that information.
The corresponding paper was published in the current issue of the Journal of Neuroscience "(October 6, doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0588-10.2010): M. Wimber, Heinze HJ, Richardson Klavehn A. (2010). Distinct fronto-parietal networks set the stage for later perceptual identification priming and episodic recognition memory. Journal of Neuroscience, 30 (40), 13272-13280.
contact person for inquiries:
Dr. Maria Wimber
e-mail: maria.wimber @ med.ovgu.de
Dr. Alan Richardson-Klavehn
e -mail: alan.richardson-Klavehn @ med.ovgu.de
Ögelin Düzel-Candan
Head of Press and Public Relations Department of Neurology and Department of Stereotactic Neurosurgery Leipziger Strasse 44, 39120 Magdeburg
Tel: 0391 / 6117535
Fax: 0391 / 6117531
e-mail: web-oegelin.duezel candan @ med.ovgu.de : http:// neuro2.med.uni-magdeburg.de /
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