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Wagner IC, Konrad BN, Schuster P, Weisig S, Repantis D, Ohla K, Kühn S, Fernández G, Steiger A, Lamm C, Czisch M, Dresler M. Durable memories and efficient neural coding through mnemonic training using the method of loci. Sci Adv 2021; 7:7/10/eabc7606. [PMID: 33658191 PMCID: PMC7929507 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abc7606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Mnemonic techniques, such as the method of loci, can powerfully boost memory. We compared memory athletes ranked among the world's top 50 in memory sports to mnemonics-naïve controls. In a second study, participants completed a 6-week memory training, working memory training, or no intervention. Behaviorally, memory training enhanced durable, longer-lasting memories. Functional magnetic resonance imaging during encoding and recognition revealed task-based activation decreases in lateral prefrontal, as well as in parahippocampal and retrosplenial cortices in both memory athletes and participants after memory training, partly associated with better performance after 4 months. This was complemented by hippocampal-neocortical coupling during consolidation, which was stronger the more durable memories participants formed. Our findings advance knowledge on how mnemonic training boosts durable memory formation through decreased task-based activation and increased consolidation thereafter. This is in line with conceptual accounts of neural efficiency and highlights a complex interplay of neural processes critical for extraordinary memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- I C Wagner
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 EZ, Netherlands.
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, 1010 Vienna, Austria
| | - B N Konrad
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 EZ, Netherlands
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - P Schuster
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - S Weisig
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - D Repantis
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
- Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - K Ohla
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - S Kühn
- Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - G Fernández
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 EZ, Netherlands
| | - A Steiger
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - C Lamm
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, 1010 Vienna, Austria
| | - M Czisch
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - M Dresler
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525 EZ, Netherlands
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
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Müller N, Campbell S, Nonaka M, Rost TM, Pipa G, Konrad BN, Steiger A, Czisch M, Fernández G, Dresler M, Genzel L. 2D:4D and spatial abilities: From rats to humans. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2018; 151:85-87. [PMID: 29689300 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2018.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Revised: 03/31/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Variance in spatial abilities are thought to be determined by in utero levels of testosterone and oestrogen, measurable in adults by the length ratio of the 2nd and 4th digit (2D:4D). We confirmed the relationship between 2D:4D and spatial performance using rats in two different tasks (paired-associate task and watermaze) and replicated this in humans. We further clarified anatomical and functional brain correlates of the association between 2D:4D and spatial performance in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Müller
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University and Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - S Campbell
- CCNS, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - M Nonaka
- CCNS, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - T M Rost
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Osnabrück, Germany
| | - G Pipa
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Osnabrück, Germany
| | - B N Konrad
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University and Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - A Steiger
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - M Czisch
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - G Fernández
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University and Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - M Dresler
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University and Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands; Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - L Genzel
- CCNS, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University and Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands.
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Bódizs R, Gombos F, Ujma PP, Szakadát S, Sándor P, Simor P, Pótári A, Konrad BN, Genzel L, Steiger A, Dresler M, Kovács I. The hemispheric lateralization of sleep spindles in humans. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1556/2053.01.2017.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Róbert Bódizs
- Institute of Behavioural Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of General Psychology, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, Hungary
- National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Gombos
- Department of General Psychology, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Péter P. Ujma
- Institute of Behavioural Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Sára Szakadát
- Institute of Behavioural Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Piroska Sándor
- Institute of Behavioural Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Péter Simor
- Department of Cognitive Science, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
- Nyírő Gyula Hospital, National Institute of Psychiatry and Addictions, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Adrián Pótári
- Department of Cognitive Science, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Lisa Genzel
- Centre for Cognitive and Neural Systems, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Axel Steiger
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Dresler
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Ilona Kovács
- Department of General Psychology, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, Hungary
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Kunath N, Müller NCJ, Tonon M, Konrad BN, Pawlowski M, Kopczak A, Elbau I, Uhr M, Kühn S, Repantis D, Ohla K, Müller TD, Fernández G, Tschöp M, Czisch M, Steiger A, Dresler M. Ghrelin modulates encoding-related brain function without enhancing memory formation in humans. Neuroimage 2016; 142:465-473. [PMID: 27402596 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Revised: 06/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Ghrelin regulates energy homeostasis in various species and enhances memory in rodent models. In humans, the role of ghrelin in cognitive processes has yet to be characterized. Here we show in a double-blind randomized crossover design that acute administration of ghrelin alters encoding-related brain activity, however does not enhance memory formation in humans. Twenty-one healthy young male participants had to memorize food- and non-food-related words presented on a background of a virtual navigational route while undergoing fMRI recordings. After acute ghrelin administration, we observed decreased post-encoding resting state fMRI connectivity between the caudate nucleus and the insula, amygdala, and orbitofrontal cortex. In addition, brain activity related to subsequent memory performance was modulated by ghrelin. On the next day, however, no differences were found in free word recall or cued location-word association recall between conditions; and ghrelin's effects on brain activity or functional connectivity were unrelated to memory performance. Further, ghrelin had no effect on a cognitive test battery comprising tests for working memory, fluid reasoning, creativity, mental speed, and attention. In conclusion, in contrast to studies with animal models, we did not find any evidence for the potential of ghrelin acting as a short-term cognitive enhancer in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Kunath
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - N C J Müller
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - M Tonon
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - B N Konrad
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - M Pawlowski
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - A Kopczak
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - I Elbau
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - M Uhr
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - S Kühn
- Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - D Repantis
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, CBF, Berlin, Germany
| | - K Ohla
- German Institute for Human Nutrition, Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Germany
| | - T D Müller
- Institute for Diabetes and Obesity, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany; Department of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - G Fernández
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - M Tschöp
- Institute for Diabetes and Obesity, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany; Department of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - M Czisch
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - A Steiger
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - M Dresler
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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