Summary: Déjà vu—the eerie feeling that a new moment has happened before—has puzzled scientists and philosophers for centuries. Neuroscientists now believe it’s a normal brain glitch tied to how memory…
Tag: Memory
How Growing Up Changes the Way We Hear, and Feel, Music
Summary: Our music preferences evolve across life — from youthful exploration to nostalgic reflection. A large-scale analysis of 40,000 users’ streaming data over 15 years revealed that young listeners engage…
Positive Memories Boost Musicians’ Performance by Reframing Stress
Summary: A new study reveals that recalling positive memories before stepping on stage can significantly boost musicians’ performance. Professional wind instrumentalists who reflected on positive experiences showed higher nervous system…
Hormonal Contraceptives Influence Memory of Emotional Events
Summary: A new study reveals that hormonal contraceptives may shape both emotional responses and memory processing in women. Compared with naturally cycling women, users of hormonal birth control had stronger…
Inside the Minds That Never Forget: Exploring Hyperthymesia
Summary: Autobiographical memory allows us to relive experiences, form identity, and project into the future. A rare few, known as hyperthymesics, can recall events from their lives with remarkable precision,…
Music After Learning Boosts Memory, But Only at the Right Emotion Level
Summary: A new study reveals that listening to music immediately after an experience can enhance memory—if the emotional response is just right. Researchers found that volunteers who experienced moderate arousal…
Tiny Brain Region Orchestrates How We Segment and Remember Life Events
Summary: Our memories don’t flow like a continuous stream—they’re divided into meaningful events, thanks to a tiny brain region called the locus coeruleus. New research shows this region acts like…
Brain Criticality May Hold Key to Learning, Memory, and Alzheimer’s
Summary: New research proposes a unified theory of brain function based on criticality—a state where the brain teeters between order and chaos, allowing it to learn, adapt, and process information…
How PTSD Disrupts Brain Cell Communication
Summary: A new study has examined brains affected by PTSD at the single-cell level, uncovering distinct genetic alterations that may drive the disorder. Researchers focused on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex,…
Wellbeing May Help Protect Memory in Middle Age
Summary: A new 16-year study of over 10,000 adults finds that higher wellbeing is linked to better memory performance in middle age. Researchers tracked participants’ psychological wellbeing and memory recall,…