Happy Nostalgia Amongst Teens Linked to Less Substance Use/Abuse
Razi Berry Teenagers with happy childhood memories are likely to drink less, take fewer drugs and enjoy learning, according to research published in the peer-reviewed journal Addiction Research & Theory. The findings, based on data from nearly 2,000 US high school students, show a link between how pupils feel about the past, present and future […]
Memories Impact Ability to Make Sense of Future
Razi Berry Memory is as much about the future as it is the past. Whether experiencing something new, or something we’ve experienced a hundred times, people use memories of the past to navigate subsequent encounters. Traditionally, psychologists believed that the more ingrained a memory of something was, the more difficult it would be to update […]
Emotional Attachment to Memories Make them Stronger
Razi Berry Memories linked with strong emotions often become seared in the brain. Most people can remember where they were on 9/11, or what the weather was like on the day their first child was born. Memories about world events on Sept 10, or lunch last Tuesday, have long been erased. Why are memories attached […]
REM Sleep Important in Retaining Memories
Razi Berry The presence of dreaming during rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep indicates that memory formation may occur during this sleep stage. But now, researchers from Japan have found that activity in a specific group of neurons is necessary for memory consolidation during REM sleep. Researchers from Japan found that activity in a specific group of neurons […]
Brain May Create False Memories When it ‘Updates’
Razi Berry Senior author Professor Bryce Vissel, from the UTS Centre for Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, said his team used novel behavioral, molecular and computational techniques to investigate memories that have not been well-formed, and how the brain deals with them. Study shows the same mechanism that updates poor memories can also severely distort them […]
Scientist Raises Doubt on Benefit of Neuroelectrical Therapies
Razi Berry Brain stimulation with electrical current is becoming increasingly popular for treating a wide range of pathologies: depression, anxiety, developmental disorders and even Alzheimer’s disease. But a recent research study has put the effectiveness of these treatments into question – specifically, transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS). What is Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)? From […]
What Memories Can You Trust? All of them and None of them
Razi Berry What memories can you trust? “Memory is the diary that we all carry about with us.” – Oscar Wilde I have a hard time letting go of things. But I prefer to frame it this way: I like to hold on. Not in an unhealthy way, I’ve worked through that, but I love […]
Remembering Our Beloved Dead
Robyn M Fritz MA MBA To honor and remember our beloved family members is a cathartic experience, and can be an extremely beneficial for our mind and body. Remembering lost loved ones does not have to be an inherently sad experience. On the contrary, it can uplift you and even heal you. One of the […]