Forgotten memory can now be retrieved

Researchers find a way to retrieve forgotten memory. Left rostrolateral prefrontal cortex is important for high-level thoughts, including monitoring and integrating information processed in other areas of the brain. (Photo: Representational/Pixabay) Washington: While the brain is a complex organ to understand, a new study highlights a certain region in the brain which has a key role in recalling memory. The research, published in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, suggested that using electrical current to stimulate that region ‘left rostrolateral prefrontal cortex’, improves people’s ability to retrieve memories. "We found dramatically improved memory performance when we increased the excitability of this region," said Jesse Rissman, senior author of the study. Left rostrolateral prefrontal cortex is important for high-level thoughts, including monitoring and integrating information processed in other areas of the brain. This is located behind the left side of the forehead, between the eyebrow and the hairline. The psychologists conducted experiments with three groups of people whose average age was 20. Each group had 13 women and 11 men. Participants were shown a series of 80 words on a computer screen. For each word, participants were instructed to either imagine themselves or another person interacting with the word (Example, the combination of "gold" and "other" might prompt them to imagine a friend with a gold necklace.) The following day, the participants returned to the laboratory for three tests- a memory, reasoning ability, and visual perceptions test. Each participant wore a device that sent a weak electrical current through an electrode on the scalp to decrease or increase the excitability of neurons in the left rostrolateral prefrontal cortex. Increasing their excitability makes neurons more likely to fire, which enhances the connections between neurons. For the first half of the hour-long study, all participants received "sham" stimulation, meaning that the device was […]

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