The Memory Enhancing Effect of Emotion: Functional Neuroimaging Evidence

Denkova

An International Journal of Psychological Sciences

2012

Self Cite

What are the neural markers of encoding and retrieving emotional events with increased efficacy? In recent years, this question has captured the attention of cognitive neuroscientists who fervently engaged in addressing it using a multitude of approaches. The present review discusses evidence from brain imaging studies investigating the neural correlates of the memory-enhancing effect of emotion in healthy human participants. The available evidence points to two main mechanisms: one direct involving the medial temporal lobe (MTL), and the other indirect involving the prefrontal cortex (PFC), among other brain regions. Recent studies also showed that these mechanisms are sensitive to aspects relevant to social interactions, as well as to personality-, sex-and age-related differences. Overall, this evidence provides insights into the brain mechanisms that make emotional memories special, and points to possible alterations that could lead to negative affective biases in encoding and remembering emotional memories observed in affective disorders.

Section: Neural Correlates Of the Memory-enhancing Effect Of Emotion mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Neural Correlates Of the Memory-enhancing Effect Of Emotion mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Neural Correlates of Emotional Memories: A Review of Evidence From Brain Imaging Studies

Denkova

An International Journal of Psychological Sciences

2012

Self Cite

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

“…The neural processes contributing to the latter enhancement effect have not been examined. Prior neuroimaging studies investigating the neural processes that underlie the ability to learn emotional information have used stimuli that contain valence and arousal, i.e., that are negative and arousing (29,39,40) or, less frequently, positive and arousing (11,12,41,42). These studies have not made an explicit distinction between valence and arousal.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The early studies of Kluver and Bucy (4) suggested that lesions to the amygdala can result in abnormalities in assigning emotional significance to stimuli. More recent studies have demonstrated a link between amygdalar function and explicit memory for emotional information: patients with amygdalar lesions do not show enhanced memory for emotional as compared with neutral stimuli (5-7), and neuroimaging studies have revealed a link between the amount of amygdalar activation at encoding and the likelihood of later retrieving emotional items (8)(9)(10)(11)(12).Although the evidence implicating the amygdala in emotional memory is strong, further specification of the neural processes is required because the amygdala clearly does not act in isolation. Similarly, the cognitive processes that contribute to the enhancement effect require delineation.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Two routes to emotional memory: Distinct neural processes for valence and arousal

Kensinger

Corkin

2004

711

575

Prior investigations have demonstrated that emotional information is often better remembered than neutral information, but they have not directly contrasted effects attributable to valence and those attributable to arousal. By using functional MRI and behavioral studies, we found that distinct cognitive and neural processes contribute to emotional memory enhancement for arousing information versus valenced, nonarousing information. The former depended on an amygdalar-hippocampal network, whereas the latter was supported by a prefrontal cortex-hippocampal network implicated in controlled encoding processes. A behavioral companion study, with a divided-attention paradigm, confirmed that memory enhancement for valenced, nonarousing words relied on controlled encoding processes: concurrent task performance reduced the enhancement effect. Enhancement for arousing words occurred automatically, even when encoding resources were diverted to the secondary task.W hy do we remember some experiences while forgetting others? Neuroimaging has provided a tool to probe this question. By comparing the neural activity during encoding of items that are later remembered versus those that are later forgotten (a ''subsequent memory'' analysis), one can examine the processes mediating successful encoding (i.e., that are carried out during encoding of words that will later be remembered; reviewed in ref. 1). Functional MRI studies have indicated that activation in prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus, and parahippocampal gyrus underlies successful encoding, such that greater activation in these regions increases the probability that information will be remembered.In most functional MRI studies examining memory formation, stimuli are chosen deliberately to preclude an emotional response. In daily life, however, much of the information we encounter holds emotional significance. Abundant evidence indicates that we often are more likely to remember this emotional information than we are to remember information lacking in emotional import (2, 3). The goal of the present study was to uncover the neural circuits mediating this enhanced memory for emotional information.The amygdala is an obvious site. The early studies of Kluver and Bucy (4) suggested that lesions to the amygdala can result in abnormalities in assigning emotional significance to stimuli. More recent studies have demonstrated a link between amygdalar function and explicit memory for emotional information: patients with amygdalar lesions do not show enhanced memory for emotional as compared with neutral stimuli (5-7), and neuroimaging studies have revealed a link between the amount of amygdalar activation at encoding and the likelihood of later retrieving emotional items (8)(9)(10)(11)(12).Although the evidence implicating the amygdala in emotional memory is strong, further specification of the neural processes is required because the amygdala clearly does not act in isolation. Similarly, the cognitive processes that contribute to the enhancement effect require delineation. Some...

Dissociating Enhancing and Impairing Effects of Emotion on Cognition

Emerging Trends in the Social and Behavioral Sciences

Denkova

2015

Self Cite

Emotion is a "double-edged sword" that can either enhance or hinder various aspects of our cognition and behavior. The emotional charge of an event can increase attention to and memory for that event, whereas task-irrelevant emotional information may lead to increased distraction and impaired performance in ongoing cognitive tasks. These opposing effects of emotion can be identified at different levels, both within the same cognitive process and across different processes, and could also be identified at more general levels, such as in the case of the response to stress. The present review discusses emerging evidence regarding factors that influence opposite effects of emotion on cognition in healthy functioning, and how they may be linked to clinical conditions. These issues are important for understanding mechanisms of emotion-cognition interactions in healthy functioning and in emotional disturbances, where both of these effects are exacerbated and tend to co-occur. Overall, the present review highlights the need to consider the various factors that can influence enhancing or impairing effects of emotion on cognition, in studies investigating emotion-cognition interactions.