Building memories: Remembering and forgetting of verbal experiences as predicted by brain activity

Anthony D. Wagner, Daniel L. Schacter, Michael Rotte, Wilma Koutstaal, Anat Maril, Anders M. Dale, Bruce R. Rosen, Randy L. Buckner

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1360 Scopus citations

Abstract

A fundamental question about human memory is why some experiences are remembered whereas others are forgotten. Brain activation during word encoding was measured using blocked and event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine how neural activation differs for subsequently remembered and subsequently forgotten experiences. Results revealed that the ability to later remember a verbal experience is predicted by the magnitude of activation in left prefrontal and temporal cortices during that experience. These findings provide direct evidence that left prefrontal and temporal regions jointly promote memory formation for verbalizable events.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1188-1191
Number of pages4
JournalScience
Volume281
Issue number5380
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 21 1998

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