Explore projects in Memory!
Projects in memory within cognitive and neuroscience research examine how information is encoded, stored, and retrieved in the brain. These studies investigate different types of memory—such as working memory, episodic memory, semantic memory, and procedural memory—and the neural systems that support them, including the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and medial temporal lobes. Researchers use methods like neuroimaging, electrophysiology, and behavioral experiments to understand how memory develops across the lifespan, how it is influenced by attention, emotion, and sleep, and how it is impacted by aging, trauma, or neurological disorders. Many projects also explore strategies to enhance memory performance and support learning in educational and clinical contexts. This research provides critical insights into the foundations of human cognition and everyday functioning.
“Thinking thought bubble” by FreyaSyauqila, in the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, via Wikimedia Commons
- Sleep and Selective Emotional Memory Consolidation from Young Adulthood through Middle AgeProject Abstract/Summary People spend nearly one-third of their lives sleeping, and growing evidence suggests that one purpose of sleep is to strengthen memories formed during the day, particularly if these memories are emotionally salient. However, the majority of this evidence stems from data on college-age research participants that are not representative of the broader population. Little is known about sleep and memory function in middle age. This research will examine how sleep contributes to selectivity effects in memory in middle-aged… Read more: Sleep and Selective Emotional Memory Consolidation from Young Adulthood through Middle Age
- CAREER: Targeted Memory Reactivation with Transcranial Magnetic StimulationProject Abstract/Summary There is a significant need to advance understanding of the basic neurocognitive mechanisms that enable the human mind and brain to accomplish the tasks of encoding, retaining, and retrieving information in working memory in the service of goal-directed actions. These mechanisms are fundamental for cognition, and dysfunction with some of these processes likely underlie age-related memory deficits over both the short term and the long term. This project will help clarify how information retained in working memory is… Read more: CAREER: Targeted Memory Reactivation with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
- CAREER: Cognitive and neural factors shaping the multidimensional quality of episodic memoryProject Abstract/Summary Episodic memories are an important part of how we interact with the world and with one another. When we remember a past event, we call to mind details of what we experienced at the time— the who, what, where, and when of the event. During recall, our memories rebuild the past in our minds. This is an imperfect process, however, and the resulting memories vary considerably in the precision and in the types of details we can remember… Read more: CAREER: Cognitive and neural factors shaping the multidimensional quality of episodic memory
- EAGER: Investigating the role of spontaneous thought in memory consolidation with real-time neuroimagingProject Abstract/Summary People spend roughly 30-50% of their time thinking about things other than what they are currently doing. Although such “mind-wandering” is often thought of as something to be avoided, recent research suggests that mind-wandering may help to commit memories to long-term storage, a process known as memory consolidation. Mind-wandering and memory consolidation are typically studied separately, but new evidence suggests that these two mental processes use the same neural resources: specifically, the ‘reactivation’ of memories in the brain’s… Read more: EAGER: Investigating the role of spontaneous thought in memory consolidation with real-time neuroimaging