Title |
Mnemonic Training Reshapes Brain Networks to Support Superior Memory
|
---|---|
Published in |
Neuron, March 2017
|
DOI | 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.02.003 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Martin Dresler, William R. Shirer, Boris N. Konrad, Nils C.J. Müller, Isabella C. Wagner, Guillén Fernández, Michael Czisch, Michael D. Greicius |
Abstract |
Memory skills strongly differ across the general population; however, little is known about the brain characteristics supporting superior memory performance. Here we assess functional brain network organization of 23 of the world's most successful memory athletes and matched controls with fMRI during both task-free resting state baseline and active memory encoding. We demonstrate that, in a group of naive controls, functional connectivity changes induced by 6 weeks of mnemonic training were correlated with the network organization that distinguishes athletes from controls. During rest, this effect was mainly driven by connections between rather than within the visual, medial temporal lobe and default mode networks, whereas during task it was driven by connectivity within these networks. Similarity with memory athlete connectivity patterns predicted memory improvements up to 4 months after training. In conclusion, mnemonic training drives distributed rather than regional changes, reorganizing the brain's functional network organization to enable superior memory performance. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 52 | 19% |
United Kingdom | 23 | 8% |
Spain | 9 | 3% |
Netherlands | 7 | 3% |
Canada | 6 | 2% |
Germany | 4 | 1% |
Greece | 3 | 1% |
Japan | 3 | 1% |
France | 3 | 1% |
Other | 33 | 12% |
Unknown | 130 | 48% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 203 | 74% |
Scientists | 56 | 21% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 10 | 4% |
Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 4 | 1% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 7 | 1% |
United Kingdom | 4 | <1% |
Canada | 3 | <1% |
Germany | 2 | <1% |
Austria | 1 | <1% |
Australia | 1 | <1% |
Brazil | 1 | <1% |
Netherlands | 1 | <1% |
Norway | 1 | <1% |
Other | 3 | <1% |
Unknown | 611 | 96% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Ph. D. Student | 113 | 18% |
Researcher | 102 | 16% |
Student > Master | 82 | 13% |
Student > Bachelor | 79 | 12% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 38 | 6% |
Other | 114 | 18% |
Unknown | 107 | 17% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Neuroscience | 137 | 22% |
Psychology | 128 | 20% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 53 | 8% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 52 | 8% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 17 | 3% |
Other | 104 | 16% |
Unknown | 144 | 23% |