Electric Jolt Boosts Memory as New Brain Device Studied
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Electrically stimulating a portion of the brain that coordinates the way the mind works can enhance memory and improve learning, according to a study that may lead to a new way to treat cognitive disorders.
The research published yesterday in the journal Science pinpointed for the first time how various regions of the brain work with the hippocampus, where memories are formed, organized and stored, said Joel Voss, a senior author. The elaborate process can be thrown off kilter after a stroke or trauma, and may be disorganized in people with schizophrenia or Alzheimer’s disease. It can also degenerate with age.