http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/memory/ Can you trust your memory? Learn about superior memory, memory loss and how moral blame can affect memories of objective facts. en-us Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:05:01 EST Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/memory/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110105347.htm Researchers have discovered a mechanism that controls the brain's ability to create lasting memories. In experiments on genetically manipulated mice, they were able to switch on and off the animals' ability to form lasting memories by adding a substance to their drinking water. The findings are of potential significance to the future treatment of Alzheimer's and stroke. Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110105347.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103112403.htm Radiation oncologists are intent on finding ways to avoid damage to the critically important hippocampus and limbic circuit of the brain when cranial radiation is required to treat existing or potential metastatic cancers. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103112403.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109173714.htm Individuals with weaker muscles appear to have a higher risk for Alzheimer's disease and declines in cognitive function over time, according to a new report. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109173714.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109173600.htm Human embryonic stem cells could help people with learning and memory deficits after radiation treatment for brain tumors, suggests a new study. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109173600.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109194747.htm While too much amyloid beta protein in the brain is linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease, not enough of the protein in healthy brains can cause learning problems and forgetfulness, scientists have found. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109194747.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109173724.htm The long-held theory that our brains use different mechanisms for forming long-term and short-term memories has been challenged by new research. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109173724.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110065911.htm Combination therapies to tackle multiple changes in the brain may be needed to combat the growing problem of dementia in aging societies, according to a new study. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110065911.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109173614.htm After one year, a low-calorie, low-fat diet appears more beneficial to dieters' mood than a low-carbohydrate plan with the same number of calories, according to a new report. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109173614.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105132448.htm Common experience tells us that particular scents of childhood can leave quite an impression, for better or for worse. Now, researchers reporting the results of a brain imaging study show that first scents really do enjoy a "privileged" status in the brain. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105132448.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091031002321.htm Saturated fats have a deservedly bad reputation, but scientists have discovered that a sticky lipid occurring naturally at high levels in the brain may help us memorize grandma's recipe for cinnamon buns, as well as recall how, decades ago, she served them up steaming from the oven. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091031002321.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102121630.htm A new study is taking a closer look at the benefits vs. risks for lung cancer patients to undergo preventative brain radiation therapy as a means to stop cancer from spreading to the brain. Study results show that while preventative brain radiation for patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer -- the most common form of lung cancer -- does reduce the chance of developing brain metastases, it impacts some short-term and long-term memory. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102121630.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027161521.htm Research has shown that diabetes increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease and the risk of memory loss in people who don't have Alzheimer's disease. But it hasn't been clear whether people with Alzheimer's disease and diabetes have more rapid memory loss than those who have Alzheimer's disease but no diabetes. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027161521.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026125401.htm A research collaboration of biologists and neuroscientists has found a molecular pathway in the brain that is the cause of cognitive impairment due to sleep deprivation. Just as important, the team believes that the cognitive deficits caused by sleep deprivation, such as an inability to focus, learn or memorize, may be reversible by reducing the concentration of a specific enzyme that builds up in the hippocampus of the brain. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026125401.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091025193337.htm Sometimes when a patient tells his ophthalmologist that he "can't see," what he really means is "I can see, but I can no longer read or write." In a minority of Alzheimer's patients the disease shows up first as problems with vision rather than memory or other cognitive functions. But diagnosis can be difficult because standard eye exams are often inconclusive for these patients. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091025193337.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020161950.htm Growth factors are the proteins that trigger a countless number of actions in cells. Drugs that increase or decrease certain growth factors have lead to treatments for cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Researchers say a new understanding of a growth factor implicated in some mental retardation disorders could lead to a novel treatment. Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020161950.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091023102428.htm New animal studies suggest that memory and other cognitive problems experienced by cocaine-addicted people can result directly from the cocaine abuse in addition to pre-existing traits or lifestyle factors. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091023102428.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021125139.htm The eyes may be the windows to the soul, but new research indicates they also may mirror a brain ravaged by Alzheimer's disease. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021125139.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021172655.htm Rats exposed to high doses of amphetamines at an age that corresponds to the later years of human adolescence display significant memory deficits as adults -- long after the exposure ends, researchers report. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021172655.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019122647.htm Over-expressing a gene that lets brain cells communicate just a fraction of a second longer makes a smarter rat. Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019122647.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029151318.htm No one has yet found a cure or a way to prevent people from developing Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers are breaking new ground in biotechnology to find new tools that can help provide new solutions. A newly constructed protein has yielded experimental results that are promising when it comes to stopping the disease. And for the first time, using protein engineering, it seems researchers have successfully created the oligomer that is believed to trigger the disorder. Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029151318.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019134718.htm Children who have had an episode of diabetic ketoacidosis, a common complication of diabetes, may have persistent memory problems. Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019134718.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091018141559.htm Exercise is a key factor in improving both memory and mood after whole-brain radiation treatments in rodents, according to new research. Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091018141559.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029151807.htm For a considerable time already there has been discussion within scientific circles about whether knowing and using multiple languages could possibly have positive effects on the human brain and thinking. There have been a number of international studies on the subject, which indicate that the ability to use more than one language brings an individual a considerable advantage. Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029151807.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091018171806.htm New data about amyloid precursor protein, or APP, a protein implicated in development of Alzheimer's disease, suggests it also may have a positive role -- directly affecting learning and memory during brain development. So is APP good or bad? Researchers say both, and that a balance of APP is critical. Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091018171806.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091015123552.htm By directly manipulating the activity of individual neurons, scientists have given flies memories of a bad experience they never really had, according to a new report. Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091015123552.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012230443.htm Cognitive abilities other than memory, including visuospatial skills needed to perceive relationships between objects, may decline years prior to a clinical diagnosis in patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new report. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012230443.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091005092302.htm While the human brain responds very differently to religious and nonreligious propositions, the process of believing or disbelieving a statement, whether religious or not, seems to be governed by the same areas in the brain. Sun, 11 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091005092302.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091001163605.htm Repeated learning sessions produce long-lasting memory when they are spaced out between rest intervals. Neuroscientists have discovered that this so-called "spacing effect" is controlled in the brain by a molecular timer -- a protein that determines how long rest intervals need to last for long-term memory to form. Sat, 03 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091001163605.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091001163730.htm A new study reveals that different patterns of training and learning lead to different types of memory formation. The significance of the study is that it identifies the molecular differences between spaced training (distributed over time) and massed training (at very short intervals), shedding light on brain function and guiding learning and training principles. Fri, 02 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091001163730.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091001091752.htm Good news for procrastinating students: a nasal spray developed by scientists promises to give late night cram sessions a major boost, if a good night's sleep follows. Scientists show that a molecule from the body's immune system (interleukin-6) when administered through the nose helps the brain retain emotional and procedural memories during REM sleep. Fri, 02 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091001091752.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090930165034.htm Researchers have started using computational models of the brain, making it easier to study the brain's connections. An electrical and computer engineering doctoral student has discovered new evidence on how the brain reacts to fear, including important findings that could help victims of post-traumatic stress disorder. Thu, 01 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090930165034.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090928172355.htm A new study suggests that impaired kidney function is a risk factor for cognitive decline in old age. Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090928172355.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090924141744.htm A study by developmental scientists challenges the conclusions of two recent studies on how babies and dogs respond to certain social cues. The new findings indicate that babies and dogs may not be as clever as the other studies suggest. Sun, 27 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090924141744.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090924112845.htm Does "use it or lose it" apply to foreign languages? Although it may seem we have absolutely no memory of the neglected language, new research suggests this "forgotten" language may be more deeply engraved in our minds than we realize. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090924112845.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090924101632.htm Researchers will begin testing an intriguing new approach to slowing down the progression of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) using Intravenous Immune Globulin (IGIV), also known as gammaglobulin. IGIV is traditionally used to treat primary immunodeficiency disorders, but is not currently approved for treating AD, which is one of the leading causes of dementia in the elderly. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090924101632.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090923121443.htm A new study explores how our brains synthesize concepts that allow us to organize and comprehend the world. The research uses behavioral and neuroimaging techniques to track how conceptual knowledge emerges in the human brain and guides decision making. Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090923121443.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090921134656.htm According to a new review of neuroscientific research, coercive interrogation techniques used during the Bush administration to extract information from terrorist suspects are likely to have been unsuccessful and may have had many unintended negative effects on the suspect's memory and brain functions. Tue, 22 Sep 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090921134656.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090921162152.htm Whether we're deciding to return to a restaurant or to purchase a DVD, many consumers rely on memory when they're making decisions. A new study examines the role of mood on those memory-based decisions. Tue, 22 Sep 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090921162152.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915174506.htm A research team has pinpointed for the first time the mechanism that takes place during sleep that causes learning and memory formation to occur. The team has determined that short transient brain events, called “sharp wave ripples,” are responsible for consolidating memory and transferring the learned information from the hippocampus to the neocortex, where long-term memories are stored. Wed, 16 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915174506.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915174453.htm Cognitive testing by telephone in elderly individuals is generally as effective as in-person testing, according to a new study. Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915174453.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090907013816.htm A drug now used to treat cancer may also be able to restore memory deficits in patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study. Mon, 14 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090907013816.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090911132802.htm Kim Delvaux was undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumor when doctors woke her up. Her doctor talked to her about her favorite topics -- NASCAR and her kids during the surgery. Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090911132802.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090910114136.htm Sleep may reduce mistakes in memory, according to a first-of-its-kind study. The findings have practical implications for everyone from students flubbing multiple choice tests to senior citizens confusing their medications. Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090910114136.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909122056.htm Scientists may have discovered a way to glean information about stored memories by tracking patterns of eye movements, even when an individual is unable (or perhaps even unwilling) to report what they remember. The research provides compelling insight into the relationship between activity in the hippocampus, eye movements, and both conscious and unconscious memory. Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909122056.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909122100.htm A woman looks familiar, but you can't remember her name or where you met her. New research suggests the memory exists -- you simply can't retrieve it. Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909122100.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909122052.htm Ever wonder why former smokers miss lighting up most when they are in a bar or after a meal with friends? Researchers say nicotine, the addictive component in cigarettes, "tricks" the brain into creating memory associations between environmental cues and smoking behavior. Thu, 10 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909122052.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090908103636.htm A new study has identified another component in the chain of actions that take place in the neurons in the process of forming memories. This discovery joins a line of findings from previous studies that together provide a better understanding of the most complex processes in nature -- the process of memory formation and storage in the human brain. Thu, 10 Sep 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090908103636.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090907162306.htm Getting a cold, stomach bug or other infection may lead to increased memory loss in people with Alzheimer's disease, according to new research. Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090907162306.htm