Direct electrical stimulation of the human amygdala, a region of the brain known to regulate memory and emotional behaviors, can enhance next-day recognition of images when applied immediately after the images are viewed, neuroscientists have found.
The results were published in PNAS.
The findings are the first example of electrical brain stimulation in humans giving a time-specific boost to memory lasting more than a few minutes, the scientists say. Patients’ recognition only increased for stimulated images, and not for control images presented in between the stimulated images. The experiments were conducted at Emory University Hospital in 14 epilepsy patients undergoing intracranial monitoring, an invasive procedure for the diagnosis of seizure origin, during which electrodes are introduced into the brain. (1)
We try to remember more.
And it seems that we will find a way to do it.
But why do we want to remember?
It seems that remembering is related to the brain. (surprise! surprise!) And it seems that it is also related to external stimuli, to the interaction with the environment via our senses. But who says that our senses work properly or that they provide any objective or “correct” view of the cosmos? Who says that what we want to keep remembering is something true – truer anyway than the things we imagine or think about?
Yes, you remember the image better now.
So? Do you feel wiser?
Try to forget everything.
What do you see?
