What would it be like if you never forgot — if your brain were able to access your haziest long-term memories as though they had just been freshly made? For the first time, working in rats, researchers have enhanced weak, old …
Memory
Why Speaking More than One Language May Delay Alzheimer’s
There are many ways in which speaking another language may contribute to a well-lived life. You can talk to a whole lot more of Earth’s inhabitants, for one thing. You can also enjoy books, music and films in their original …
Quizzes — But Not Pop Quizzes — Help the Brain Learn
It’s long been known that the brain needs sleep to learn. Sleep has been shown to help the brain consolidate memories after cramming, and even to prime the brain to learn better beforehand. Now a new study looks at how sleep …
Want to Improve Your Memory? Try Taking a Walk
If you’re noticing a growing number of senior moments — where did I put those keys? — you might consider taking a walk.
‘Love Hormone’ Oxytocin Enhances Men’s Memories of Mom — Good or Bad
Oxytocin has been called the “cuddle chemical” and the “love hormone” — the glue that bonds parents to children and lovers to each other.
As Suspected, Women’s Memories Last Longer than Men’s
It’s one of the oldest marital spats in the books: you remember an event one way and your spouse remembers it completely differently. That, then, spirals into an argument about who has the best memory. It’s such a chestnut, …
Can dreams be a study tool?
Dreaming about tomorrow’s big presentation, or how you’ll tackle certain questions on an exam later this week may seem like a sign that your anxiety over the pending challenge has seeped its way into your subconscious—yet, according to new research published in the journal Cell Biology dreaming about something you’ve learned may
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Stop me if I’ve told you this one before…
Have you ever gotten half-way into a story only to realize that you’ve told this exact tale before, to precisely the person you’re boring with it now? (In fact, you may have already told it to them several times?) According to research published in the current issue of the journal Psychological Science, losing track of whom you’ve
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When being a grump is good for you
Being crabby may not be a good way to earn new friends, but when it comes to decision-making and critical thinking, grumps may have a leg up on those with a sunnier outlook, according to research published in the current issue of Australasian Science. As the BBC reports, Australian psychologist Joseph Forgas conducted experiments
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Dude, Where’s my Trauma? Marijuana Could Treat PTSD
Many millions have been made in Hollywood by lampooning the acute effects of marijuana on memory—but Israeli researchers suggest that they might one day be harnessed to prevent or treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And today’s election results bringing medical marijuana dispensaries to yet another state suggest that day …