Study Tips: Memorization

Brain signals that govern memory formation remain incompletely identified. The hypothalamus is implicated in memory disorders, but how its rapidly changing activity shapes memorization is unknown. During encounters with objects, hypothalamic melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) neurons emit brief signals that reflect object novelty. Here we show that targeted optogenetic silencing of these signals, performed selectively during the initial object encounters (i.e. memory acquisition), prevents future recognition of the objects. We identify an upstream inhibitory microcircuit from hypothalamic GAD65 neurons to MCH neurons, which constrains the memory-promoting MCH cell bursts. Finally, we demonstrate that silencing the GAD65 cells during object memory acquisition improves future object recognition through MCH-receptor-dependent pathways. These results provide causal evidence that object-associated signals in genetically distinct but interconnected hypothalamic neurons differentially control whether the brain forms object memories. This gating of memory formation by hypothalamic activity establishes appropriate behavioral responses to novel and familiar objects.

Memorization is necessary for various fields, such as language learning in the field of education. While memorization learning is often tedious and demotivating due to requiring conscious effort, few support approaches improve memorization unconsciously with low conscious effort. In this study, we propose a method, Mindless Memorization Booster, which improves users’ memorization unconsciously by visual stimuli of modulating the visual interface. This method is based on previous findings that the modulation of perceptual stimuli arouses attention/concentration. When the user looks at the memorization target, the proposed method presents a change in visual interface (e.g., changes in memorization target size, background color, and visual icon movement) to cause a psychological phenomenon of affecting the user’s attention and concentration, aiming at enhancing the memorization unconsciously. A prototype system of the proposed method was implemented for an English vocabulary memorization learning application. The evaluation results showed that the user’s memorization result was affected by the proposed method, and the speed of recall (i.e., outputs of the memorization word from the brain) increased by about 1 s per one memorization word without causing a negative affection on the number of correct answers for memorization. This result indicated the feasibility of the proposed method for memorization learning support. Our findings are helpful for designing visual information interfaces that consider the phenomena affecting the user’s memorization and promote memorization learning unconsciously.

Numerous times I had the privilege of hearing him play, in halls where the concentration (Richter's and the audience's) was heightened from the exceptionally low room and stage lighting, the contrasting glare of the floor lamp reflecting off the white score and Richter's stark profile occasionally becoming visible as it entered into the aura. All performing pianists can tell you their horror stories of memory lapses, and we all have devised numerous customized practice techniques to solidify our memory. Because we consider memory an intellectual activity, we often look for intellectual approaches. [...]that you take physical signs of aches and soreness to be positive indicators of a good physical workout, you should look for parallel signs of mental discomfort as positive indicators of a good mental workout. Conference Call Collaborative * Cut a score into small musical sections (2-4 measures each). * Figure out the order of the individual pieces and move sequentially from the beginning, so as to eventually transcribe the whole piece from beginning to end. * Each person communicates through words to the others to get them to write out that section Goal: * Identifying and recognizing patterns * Awareness of communication and understanding of others The added element of this group exercise is the practice of communicating verbally.