An international research collaboration led by the University of Ottawa has reshaped the understanding of long-term memory processes, revealing that different memory types rely on a common brain network rather than distinct regions, challenging previous theories.
The study, featured in eLife, highlights that semantic memory (general world knowledge) and episodic memory (specific personal events) engage overlapping brain areas. Lead author Annick Tanguay, from uOttawa’s School of Psychology and the University of East Anglia, suggests that despite feeling distinct, these memories activate shared brain regions to varying extents, suggesting a spectrum rather than distinct systems.
Tanguay’s team used functional MRI to scan participants’ brain activity while recalling general knowledge, unique events, autobiographical details, and repeated events. This neuroimaging analysis, conducted at the University of Ottawa’s Institute of Mental Health Research, revealed a ‘core memory network’ involved in all memory types.
The research involved 106 participants rating various memory statements, uncovering that personal relevance, visual details, and scenes played pivotal roles across memory types. Patrick Davidson, the study’s senior author from uOttawa, notes that this comparison of personal semantics with other memory types is groundbreaking in the field.
Associate Professor Louis Renoult from the University of East Anglia and Daniela Palombo from the University of British Columbia collaborated on this study. Their findings, elucidating the common neural network underlying diverse memory types, promise to reshape future memory research and could significantly impact our understanding of autobiographical memory.
